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PORT  .  JOWA  . 


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X^s 


DAVENPORT 


PAST  AND  PRESENT 


INOLUDINa  THE  EARLY  HISTORY,  AND 


lersonal  anb  ^necbotal  |lemiiustenas 


OF  DAVENPORT; 


TOGETITER  WITH  EIOGRAPHIES,  LIKENESSES  OF  ITS  PROMIXENT  MEN;  COM- 

PENDIOUS  ARTICLES  UPON  THE  PHYSICAL,  INDUSTRIAL,  SOflVL  AND 

POLITICAL  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THE  CITY;  FULL  STATISTICS 

OF  EVERY  DEPARTMENT  OP  NOTE  OR  INTEREST,  &C. 


BY 

FRANC  B.  WILKIE. 


DAVENPORT : 
PUBLISHING  HOUSE   OF  LUSB,   LANE   &   CO. 

"1858.* 


V-.    •=;•^  ■..,  •.n\\.-.vnn.  >• 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1S58,  by 

FRANC  B.  WILKIE, 

In  the  Cleilv's  oiBce  of  the  U.  S.  District  Court  of  Iowa. 


PREFACE. 


^'^^:^ 


> 

<i 
Di 
P^  As  Prefaces  are  in  style,  it  is  well  that  one  should  be  written  for  the  present 

work,  although  the  author  may  not  have  anything  particular  to  say,  but  which 

might  as  well  as  not  be  said  in  the  body  of  the  work.      However,  a  few  words 

may  not  be  inappropriate. 

Lfj  The  present  work  has  been  prepared  under  no  ordinary  difficulties — the  data 

CO 

being  in  ihe  first  part  of  the  work,  such  as  were  afforded  by  the  meaiories 
of  "  old  settlers,"  no  two  of  which  ever  agreed  exactly  in  relating  the  same 
circumstance.  Often  would  the  author  get  a  glimpse  of  a  promising  fact  or 
anecdote,  and  after  diligently  hunting  it  through  the  mazes  of  a  half  dozen 
memories,  would  discover  It  to  be  a  jack  o'  lantern ;  or  after  finding  it,  having 
it  corroborated  by  the  "mouths  of  two  or  three  witnesses,"  and  having  it 
printed,  he  would  be  most  positively  assured  by  some  one  that  the  thing  in 
question  was  either  entirely  wrong,  or  a  fable.  However  severe  and  disheart- 
ening the  task  has  been,  the  author  flatters  himself  that  in  almost  every  state- 
ment truth  has  been  arrived  at  as  near  as  is  possible — for  he  has  been 
carefuL  in  every  case  to  get  all  the  different  versions,  and  to  adopt  the  one 
having  a  majority  in  its  favor. 

There  have  been  other  difficulties  no  less  arduous,  and  much  more  disagree- 
able. In  a  work  of  this  kind  few  are  without  an  opinion  as  to  what  the  book 
should  contain,  while  not  a  few  others  are  of  course  better  judges  of,  and  much 
more  able  (in  their  own  opinion,)  to  write  a  book  than  the  author.  In  looking 
over  the  printed  sheets,  exceptions  would  be  taken  to  this  or  that — one  wished 


PREFACE. 


no  anecdotes,  another  nothing  else — a  third  wished  simple  statistics— a  fourth 
wished  it  to  build  up  this  particular  interest  or  depress  that,  or  make  it  a  prose 
song  of  adulation  to  some  reigning  Jupiter  in  the  financial  Olympus  of  Daven- 
port. Others  have  ventured  so  far  as  to  threaten  to  use  their  influence  to 
suppress  the  work  if  it  were  not  gotten  up  after  a  particular  manner.  Appre- 
ciating the  absurdity,  as  well  as  despising  such  coercive  measures  in  book 
making,  the  author  aimed  onlf  to  write  a  book  for  the  majority,  and  corres- 
ponding with  its  title,  trusting  opposition  would  die  away  when  its  authors 
appreciated  either  its  futility  or  unreasonableness. 

The  author  takes  pleasure  in  acknowledging  many  obligations  to  Hon.  G.  C. 
R.  Mitchel,  G.  L.  Davenport,  Esq.,  James  Mckintosh,  Esq.,  D.  0.  Eldredge  Esq., 
Willard  Barrows,  Esq.,  Mrs.  Goldsmith,  of  Rock  Island,  Antoine  LeClaire, 
Capt.  James  May,  and  others,  who  have  afforded  him  information  in  regard  to 
the  early  settlement  of  Davenport. 

We  would  acknowledge  also  indebtedness  to  Dr.  C.  C.  Parky  for  the  able 
article  upon  the  geological  character  of  Davenport,  to  Dr.  T.  J.  Saunders  for 
the  article  upon  its  Medical  Topography,  and  Scott  County  Medical  Society,  to 
Add  H.  Sanders,  Esq.,  for  a  notice  of  Mr.  Wild,  the  artist,  and  to  various 
Clergymen  for  information  in  regard  to  their  respective  Churches. 

Of  the  Future  of  Davenport,  it  has  been  thought  best  to  spend  no  time  in 
treating — a  close  perusal  of  the  Past  and  Present  will  at  once  indicate  the 
future. 

With  a  hope  that  Davenport  Past  and  Present  will  meet  with  the  approba- 
tion of  the  public  to  an  extent  commensurate  with  the  labor  of  getting  it  up, 
the  author  leaves  it. 

Davenport,  April  5th,  1858. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

"Past  and  Present," ' 

CHAPTER    II. 

Sankees  and  Musquakees — Black  Hawk— Character,  (fee — Tr.'aties  of  1804 — Successive 
Treaties — Spii-it  Cave  on  Pvock  Island, 13 

CHAPTER    III. 

Black  Hawk  Continued — Treaties — Remoyals — Invasions — Executive  influence  and  Alarm 
— Crossing  the  Mississipiii — Stillman's  Run — Retreat — Massacre  at  Bad  Axe — Treaty — 
Close  of  Black  Hawk's  History, 20 

CHAPTER    IV. 

Meeting  at  Col.  Davenport's — Site  of  Davenport — Proprietors — Sui-"ey— Cost  of  Pioneer 
Enterprises — Anecdote  of  a  Politician— First  Ball — Religious  Services — Rockingham — 
Postmaster  Appointed 33 

CHAPTER    V. 

Indian  Duel— Col.  Taylor's  Defeat  in  1812 — Fight  between  Sacs  and  Foxes  and  Pottowato- 
mies — Burial  of  the  Slain — Opening  of  River— First  Marriage— Getty's  Flouring  Mill- 
Ferry  Company — Jumping  Claims — Intruder  Expelled — Thrashing  an  Indian — Sacs  and 
Foxes — Sioux  Horse  Thieves — Visit  to  Washington — Murder  of  an  Indian  at  Moscow — 
Escape  of  Murderer — Population — Scott  County  Organized— Elections, 42 

CHAPTER  VI, 

Contest  for  County  Seat— Newspaper  Magniloquence— Dea:li  of  Bla^k  Hawk— Old 
Burying  Ground — Summary, 54 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

Financial  Condition  of  County— Militii*— Territorial  C-iuncil— Moetings— Town  of  DaTon- 
port  UrgiiiiiZfii— t^Iiowlli  uf  Villa;j;e— Navigiitiuii  of  Uock  liivtr— First  Cliurcli— Sub- 
scribers— i'iroD  partuiout — Urii;iii:il  Tcnipjrauce  Society — ScliooU — Death  of  W.  B.  Con- 
way— Uesolutiunti, 


68 


CHAPTER    Vill. 

Close  of 'S10— M'n-orri  War— FinHncial  StatcniPnt  of  year  1S39— New  riection  for  Coiinty 

Seat— Result, • 80 

CHAPTER    IX. 

1841 — Finances — The  Village — Puel— '^oiut  House  and  .Tail — Davenport  Gizette— Prince 
I)e  Joiiiville— First  Tilings— lS4;—Tvniperance— Bank— Population— .luilge  VVilliauis — 
Bible  Society — blections — lS-t;i— (iliiuches— hU-ctions— M.ijor  Win.  Uorilon— 1>44— iilec- 
tions — Stage  Lines— 1846 — Murder  of  <Jol.  Davenport — Indian  Ceremony, 90 

CHAPTER    X. 

From  1846  to  1854 — Railroads— Ripids  Convention— Growth  of  City,  &c.,  4c., 101 

CHAPTER    XI. 

Opening  of  Chicago  and  Rock  Island  Railroad — Bridge  Opposition — Laying  Corner  Stone 
Proceedings — Grow  th  of  City — Statistics,  &c. — Letter  from  W.  Barrows, 114 

CHAPTER    XII. 

Temperance — Taxable  Property — August  Election — F.lection  of  Grn.  Sargent — Tnaugaral 
Address — Improvements— Close  of  1SC7— History  of  "  Past"  fini-nhed — Editorial  from 
Gaaotte, 125 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

Biography  of  Col.  Qeo.  Davenport, 145 

CHAPTER    XIV. 

Biography  of  Antoine  LeClaire, 167 

CHAPTER    XV. 

Biography  of  Geo.  L.  Davenport, 171 

CHAPTER    XVI. 

Biography  of  James  Mackintosh, 173 


CONTENTS. 


7 


PAGJE. 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

Biography  of  G.  C.  K.  Mitchell, 18X 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 

J    Biography  of  Willard  Barrows, • 183 

CHAPTER   XIX 

Biography  of  James  May, 193 

CHAPTER    XX. 

Biography  of  Chas.  Weston, 197 

CHAPTER    XXI. 

Biography  of  LsRoy  Dodge 201 

CHAPTER    XXII. 

Biography  of  Iliram  Price, 203 

C  H  A  P  T  E  R    X  X  1 1  I . 

Pioneer  Settlers  Association,  Festival,  Ac, ••       205 

CHAPTER    XXIV. 

Geologicftl  Sketch  of  the  City  of  Davenport, 249 

CHAPTER    XXV. 

Medlcfcl  Topography  of  Davenport, 253 

CHAPTER    XXVI. 

Scott  County  Medical  Society, 265 

CHAPTER   XXVII. 

Manufactures  and  Industrial  Products, 957 

Report  of  the  Boaid  of  Trade,  for  1857, 270 

CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

Hoteli, 277 


8  CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

CHAPTEE    XXIX. 

Religious 282 

CHAPTER    XXX. 

■Educiitional, , 292 

CHAPTER    XXXI. 

Military, 303 

Pire  Department, 303 

CHAPTER    XXXII. 

Musical, • 305 

Artistic, 307 

CHAPTER     XXXIII. 

The  Press, 311 

CHAPTER    XXXIV. 

Benevolent  Orders — Masonic, 315 

I.  0.  ofO.  r., 316 

Census, 319 

List  of  OiBcers  from  the  date  of  the  first  Charter  to  the  present  time 326 

City  Vote,  April,  1858, 328 

Appendix, 329 

Srrata, 335 


HISTORY  OF  DAYENPORT. 


CHAPTER   I. 

"  PAST    ANr>    PRESENT." 


The  province  of  the  Historian,  is  less  cause  than  effect 
— rather  facts,  than  the  mediate  or  immediate  agencies  of 
their  production.  Thus,  in  the  present  case,  I  might  over- 
step the  limits  of  duty  by  particular  inquiry  into  the  causes 
which  have  transformed  the  West  from  a  wilderness  to  an 
Eden  ;  or  by  discussing  the  probabilities  of  the  existence  of 
some  latent  "  serial  law"  of  human  operations,  whose  result 
is  Progression ;  or,  less  metaphysically,  by  inquiring 
whether  railways,  English  capital,  the  influences  of  mo- 
narchial  despotism,  or  omnipotent  American  enterprise,  is 
the  remote  or  immediate  cause  of  these  wonderful  changes. 

For  the  present  let  the  simple  facts  suffice — let  it  be 
enouo-h  to  know  that  tens  of  thousands  of  miles  area  have, 
within  the  memory  of  young  men,  been  wrung  from  the 
grasp  of  luxuriant  jSTature  by  systematic  Act — that  forests 
which  yesterday  were  growing  but  to  decay,  are  now  em- 
ploying myriads  of  men  in  transforming  them  into  the 
utilities  of  civilization— that  the  yell  of  marauding  savages 
is  still  fresh  on  our  ears,  while  its  echoes  are  being  caught 
up,  and  re-flung  to  the  winds  by  the  shriek  of  the  locomo- 
tive, as  the  thunder  of  its  approach  heralds  the  advent  of 
2 


10  DAVENPORT 


Enlightened  Industry— that  tlie  tomahawk  jet  nnrnsted 
by  age,  is  supplanted  by  the  plow-share — that  the  music  of 
■water-fiills,  scarcely  yet  dead  npon  the  ears  of  forest  ham- 
adryads, is  now  absorbed  in  the  busy  hum  of  wheel  and 
revolving  saw  and  the  clang  of  machinery,  all  ascending 
as  the  grand  anthem  of  Progress — that  echoes  which  yes- 
terday slept,  or  drowsily  repeated  the  hum  of  forest-life,  are 
to-day  sending  back  the  ten  thousand  voices  of  many- 
tomyned  civilization.  These  facts — in  their  magnitude,  in 
the  li^''htning-like  quickness  of  the  transformations  which 
they  involve,  and  their  kaleidescope  beauty  of  results — ^will 
sufficiently  interest  non-philosophical  readers,  without  a 
strict  inquiry  into  their  rationale. 

Let  one  devote  iiimself  more  particularly  to  a  contem- 
plation of  the  illin:iitable  benefits  conferred  upon  Hnmanity 
by  the  unlocking  of  such  a  store-house  as  the  West — to  the 
contem])lation  of  »iaic»  of  acres  so  rich  that  they  need  but  \ 
"  tickling  to  make  them  laugh"  in  the  exuberance  of  joyous 
plenty — of  its  vast  coal  beds,  and  lead  mines — and  in  short 
its  profusion  in  all  that  contributes  to  wealth  and  happi- 
ness  and   where    More's  magnificent   dream    of  Utopia 

iinds  its  nearest  possible  material  interpretation — and  he 
vfill  have  abundant  opportunity  for  earnest  reflection,  while 
our  present  history  will  obtain  ample  material  for  its  com- 
pletion. 

Lot  us  ixivn  to  *hem  for  a  little,  bj  referring  to  "  Past 
and  Preseimt." 

Thirty  years  ago  there  was  not,  save  the  blackened  re- 
mains of  a  chimney  at  Fort  Madison,  a  single  vestige  of 
civilization  from  twenty  miles  below  Keokuk  to  Galena, 
west  of  the  Mississippi.  That  part  of  Wisconsin,  now 
known  as  Iowa,  was  unknown — ^hervast  fertile  prairies  and 
rich-stocked  coal-beds  were  unworked  ;  and  the  populous, 
busy  cities  now  spread  over  her  bosom,  and  teeming  with 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  11 


the  vitalities  of  Industry,  Wealth,  Beauty,  and  Intelligence, 
were  undreamed  of  by  the  wildest  schemer  of  the  age. 

Standing  upon  Rock  Island  then,  one  saw  opposite  him, 
on  the  Wisconsin  side,  but  a  waving,  irregular  semicircle 
of  bluffs,  inclosing  an  amphitheatre  of  some  hundreds  of 
yards  iu  breadth,  and  two  miles  in  length.  The  floor  or 
"bottom"  of  this  amphitheatre  sloped  gently  from  the 
water  to  the  foot  of  the  bluffs,  and  in  its  quietness,  and 
with  its  abrupt  back-ground,  whose  many  outlines  seemed 
drawn  by  some  tremulous  artist-hand,  against  the  sky, 
formed  a  pleasant  and  beautiful  scene.  Destitute  of  trees, 
covered  with  long  prairie  grass  in  Summer,  and  its  snowy 
shroud  in  Winter,  there  was  not  much,  however,  to  long 
interest  our  spectator. 

But  could  he,  as  he  stood  there  at  that  moment, 
have  been  imbued  with  the  power  of  piercing  futurity  for 
the  short  space  of  thirty  years,  he  would  have  found  very 
much  to  chain  his  attention.  He  would  have  seen  at  first 
a  straggling  cabin  or  two — a  little  longer,  and  more  of  them 
— the  rude  "tavern,"  the  insignificant  store — a  few  new 
sounds  indicating  the  travail  of  Labor-birth.  Years  hurry 
along — a  more  commodious  residence  supplants  the  cabin, 
a  "hotel"  improves  upon  the  "tavern,"  more  stores  are 
erected,  the  bluffs  are  invaded,  and  surveyors  and  stakes 
mark  the  outlines  of  a  "  city."  But  a  little  longer  and  the 
rude  cabins  disappear,  and  lines  of  brick  houses,  lofty  ware- 
houses, and  the  church,  mark  the  rapidity  of  the  change. 

The  "thirty  years"  vision  ends,  but  as  it  fades  away  a 
dozen  lofty  spires  reaching  high  in  the  blue  ether ;  palatial 
banks  of  brick  and  marble ;  and  regal  residences  sur- 
rounded by  the  green  of  woodland  foliage  ;  massive  colleges 
and  seminaries ;  long,  wide  streets,  with  smooth  hard  bot- 
toms, fringed  by  long  lines  of  twinkling,  brilliant  gas-lights, 
and  the  vast  white  structure  which  spans  the  River,  meet 
his  view.     As  the  sounds  of  his  vision  fade,  there  come 


12  DAVENPORT 


upon  his  ear  the  pulsating  of  a  score  of  steam-pipes,  the 
sharp  clang  of  a  thousand  hammers,  the  hoarse  signals  and 
deep  throbs  of  passing  steamboats,  the  thunders  of  long 
trains  of  freight  and  passenger  cars,  the  scream  of  the  loco- 
motive, the  hum  of  a  great  crowd,  each  member  busily 
evolving  the  problem  of  Progression,  and  in  short  the 
voices,  the  roar,  and  the  murmur  of  a  Great  City. 

So  much  for  "Past  and  Present" — for  the  transforma- 
tions of  less  than  thirty  years— for  the  magical  operations 
of  the  Genius  of  Civilization,  as  she  waves  her  wand  over 
the  silent  unproductiveness  of  Nature. 

Having  thus  rapidly  outlined  a  series  of  events,  the  next 
chapters  will  be  devoted  to  developing  them  in  detail. 
That  the  task  both  to  reader  and  writer  will  prove  pleasant, 
profitable,  and  interesting,  is  more  than  probable — it 
amounts  to  the  character  of  a  certainty. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  13 


CHAPTER    II. 

Saukees  and  Musquakees — Black  Hawk — Character,  &.c. — Treaties  of  1804 — 
Successive  Treaties — Spirit  Cave  on  Rock  Island. 

It  would,  perhaps,  be  well  to  devote  a  short  space  to  the 
earlier  history  of  this  section,  and  collateral  occurrences, 
before  prosecuting  the  more  direct  objects  of  the  present 
work.  The  relations  of  the  Aborigines  are  so  intimately 
interwoven  with  the  pioneer  history  of  every  place  in  the 
West,  and  the  character,  doings  and  reverses  of  those  re- 
markable men  who  once  held  an  undisputed  right  to  this 
vast  continent,  that  a  short  digression,  having  bearing 
upon  them,  is  pardonable,  if  not  strongly  desirable. 

The  "trail"  of  the  Indian  bearing  Westward — to  Pov- 
erty, Starvation — to  Death — to  Annihilation,  runs  broad 
and  hard-beaten  direct  through  the  scenes  which  adjoin 
our  homes.  The  funeral  march  of  once  powerful  tribes  has 
but  just  passed  the  grounds  covered  with  the  monumental 
masonry  of  the  Pale  Faces — and  their  mournful  tramp  is 
scarcely  stilled  yet  in  our  ears,  although  filled  by  the  shouts 
of  a  new  and  strange  multitude. 

The  recent  occurrence  of  such  events,  and  their  close 
alliance  with  this  and  adjacent  portions  of  our  country, 
give  them  a  claim  to  our  attention — although  it  must  be 
necessarily  but  brief. 

In  1804,  the  Sauks,  Saukees,  or  Sacs,*  and  Musquakees 
or  Foxes,  ceded  to  the  United  States,  through  General 
Harrison,  all  their  lands  lying  on  Rock  River,  and  much 

*  See  A,  end  of  Chapter  III. 


14  DAVENPORT 


elsewhere.  The  principal  Sac  village  was  at  the  point  of 
land  between  the  junction  of  the  Mississippi  and  Rock 
Eiver — a  point  just  below  the  present  site  of  Davenport,  on 
the  Illinois  side.  There,  according  to  tradition,  had  been 
a  village  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  years.  The  entire 
country  belonging  to  the  tribes,  bordered  on  the  Mis- 
sissippi, and  extended  about  seven  hundred  miles  down 
the  river  from  the  mouth  of  the  Wisconsin,  reaching  very 
nearly  to  the  Missouri  river.  In  1820,  they  numbered 
about  three  thousand  persons  in  all,  of  whom,  perhaps, 
six  hundred  were  warriors. 

The  Sac  village  alluded  to  was  commanded  by  the  cel- 
ebrated Black  Hawk,  alias  the  pleasant  verbal  agglom- 
eration— Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak — who,  as  a  warrior,  is 
as  well  or  better  known  than  Tecumseh,  or  Phillip  of  Is^'ew 
England.  The  Musquakees,  or  Foxes,  lived  further  north, 
and  had,  near  the  lead  mines,  their  principal  village.  Still, 
notwithstanding  the  separation  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  they 
were,  in  realit}-,  but  one  tribe,  as  they  hunted  together, 
bad  similar  customs,  and  so  far  as  unity  of  purpose  was 
concerned  in  their  enmity  to  the  Sioux,  and  other  nations, 
they  were  indissoluble. 

Black  Hawk  was  the  most  celebrated  "brave"  of  his 
nation.  He  had  been  in  the  service  of  England  in  1812; 
had  been  an  intimate  friend  of  Tecumseh ;  was  ranked 
among  the  braves  at  the  early  age  of  sixteen,  and  at  the 
age  of  twenty,  or  thereabouts,  succeeded  his  father  as 
chief,  the  latter  having  been  killed  in  a  bloody  battle  with 
the  Cherokees.  "With  such  a  life — scarcely  if  ever  defeated 
in  battle — proud,  imperious,  and  with  a  deep  tinge  of  mel- 
ancholy in  his  later  years — venerated  by  his  braves,  and 
feared  by  his  enemies,  he  was  no  common  man,  nor  would 
his  nature  admit  of  such  treatment  as  might  be  endured 
patiently  by  ordinary  or  less  strongly  marked  men. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT. 


Of  his  personal  appearance,  the  editor  of  the  United 
States  Literary  Gazette,  thus  speaks,  as  he  saw  him  in  Phil- 
adelphia in  1833 : 

"He  is  ahout  sixty-five,  of  middling  size,  with  a  head 
that  would  excite  the  envy  of  a  phrenologist — one  .of  the 
finest  that  Heaven  ever  let  fall  on  the  head  of  an  Indian. 

"  The  son  of  Black  Hawk  is  a  noble  specimen  of 
physical  beauty — a  model  for  those  who  would  embody  the 
idea  of  strength.  He  w\as  painted,  and  had  his  hair  cut  in 
a  strange  fantasy."  It  was  remarked  by  many  in  the  same 
city  at  that  time,  that  Black  Hawk's  "pyramidal  forehead" 
strongly  resembled  Sir  Walter  Scott's,  while  others  found 
in  its  peculiar  outlines  a  very  striking  similaritj^  to  those 
of  the  well-known  Stephen  Girard.  Washington  Irving, 
writing  concerning  him  from  Jefierson  Barracks  in  Decem- 
ber, 1832,  says:  "He  has  a  fine  head,  a  Koman  style  of 
face,  and  a  prepossessing  countenance."  Many  of  our 
older  citizens,  who  knew  him  personally,  describe  him  as 
embodying  in  his  countenance  an  expression  of  deep  cun- 
ning, and  as  rather  lacking  in  intellectuality.  He  was, 
however,  extremely  superstitious,  and  it  is  more  than  prob- 
able that  the  war  in  which  he  engaged  in  '31  and  '2  was 
owing  largely  to  the  influence  of  a  half  breed  Winnebago 
and  Sac  Prophet,  named  Wabo-kieshiek,  (White  Cloud,) 
although  his  constitutional  hatred  of  the  Americans,  and 
the  unwarranted  aggressions  of  the  latter  in  many  cases, 
undoubtedly  materially  assisted  precipitating  the  matter. 
In  all,  however,  he  was,  -with  many  failings,  a  great  man — 
possessing  a  depth  of  character,  a  reach  of  means,  energy, 
and  patriotic  feeling  which,  developed  under  the  promotive 
and  powerful  influences  of  civilization,  would  have  elevated 
him  to  the  proud  rank  of  those  whom  the  world  recognizes 
as  •'  Great." 

In  regard  to  the  treaty  of  1804,  there  are  two  accounts. 


IG  DAVENPORT 


One  rcgai'ds  it  as  a  hona  fdc  transaction,  whereby  the  lands 
of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  were  sold  by  responsible  men  of 
the  tribes;  and  that  it  was  further  ratified  by  a  part  of  the 
tribe  in  a  treaty  with  Gov.  Edwards  and  Auguste  Choteau 
in  Septenil)er  1815,  and  by  another  with  the  same  commis- 
sioners in  May  1816.  These  further  allege,  that  the  United 
States  allowed  the  Indians  to  remain  upon  any  portion  of 
this  land  so  long  as  it  remained  the  property  of  the  Gov- 
ernment, and  that  the  lands  occupied  by  the  Sac  village  at 
Ilock  River,  had  been  surveyed  and  sold,  and  hence  could 
no  longer  be  justly  occupied  by  the  Indians.* 

The  other  account,  which  is  that  of  Black  Hawk  himself, 
states  quite  a  different  story.  It  is,  that  an  American  hav- 
ing been  killed  by  one  of  Black  Hawk's  men,  the  murderer 
was  arrested  and  imprisoned  at  St.  Louis.  Four  Indians 
were  dispatched  by  the  tribe  to  St.  Louis  to  release  the  in- 
carcerated Indian  "  by  paying  for  the  person  killed" — ac- 
cording to  their  custom.  The  return  of  the  four  is  thus 
described  by  Black  Hawk : 

"  Quash-qua-me  and  party  remained  a  long  time  absent. 
They  at  length  returned,  and  encamped  a  short  distance 
below  the  village — but  did  not  come  up  that  day — nor  did 
any  person  approach  their  camp!  They  appeared  to  be 
dressed  in  fine  coats,  and  had  medals.  From  these  cir- 
cumstances, we  were  in  hopes  that  they  had  brought  good 
news.  Early  the  next  morning  the  Council  Lodge  was 
crowded — Quash-qua-me  and  party  came  up,  and  gave  the 
following  account  of  their  mission  : 

'  On  their  arrival  at  St.  Louis  they  met  their  American 
father,  and  explained  to  him  their  business,  and  urged  the 
release  of  their  friend.  The  American  Chief  told  them  he 
wanted  land — and  they  had  agreed  to  give  him  some  on 
the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi,  and  some  on  the  Illinois 

""Gov.  Ford's  history  of  Illinois. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT. 


17 


side,  opposite  the  JetlVeon.  "When  tlie  business  was  all 
arranged,  they  expected  to  have  their  friend  released  to 
come  home  with  them.  But  about  the  time  they  were 
ready  to  start,  their  friend  was  let  out  of  prison,  who  i^an 
a  short  distance,  and  was  shot  dead!  This  is  all  they  could 
recollect  of  what  was  said  or  done.  They  had  been  drunk 
the  greater  part  of  the  time  they  were  in  St.  Louis !' 

"This  is  all  myself  or  nation  knew  of  the  treaty  of  1804. 
It  has  been  explained  to  me  since.  I  find,  by  that  treaty, 
that  all  our  country  east  of  the  Mississippi,  and  south  of 
Jeffreon,  was  ceded  to  the  United  States  for  one  thousand 
dollars  a  year  !" 

It  may  be  questioned  whether  the  treaty  at  St.  Louis 
was  one  concluded  by  authority  of  the  tribes — although  it 
is  not  in  the  least  doubtful  that,  on  the  part  of  the  Com- 
missioners, the  proceeding  was  concluded  in   all  fairness, 
and  with  the  belief  that  the  Indians  who  signed  the  treaty 
were  instructed  so  to  do  by  the  Sacs  and  Foxes.     Black 
Kawk  is  mistaken  in  some  points  of  his  statement.     The 
treaty  was  signed  by  five   Chiefs  instead  of  four,  one  of 
whom,  Pah-she-pa-ho,  was  a  head    chief  among  the  Sacs. 
It  was  also  made  before  Lieut.  Pike  ascended  the  Missis- 
sippi, instead  of  after,  as  stated  by  Black  Hawk,  as  Pike 
did  not  leave  St.  Louis  till  August,  1805,  on  his  expedition. 
In  September  1815,  both  Sacs  and  Foxes  concluded  a 
new  treaty,  wherein  the  treaty   of  St.  Louis  was  ratified, 
among  other  matters.     This  treaty  was  held  at  Portage  des 
Sioux,  and  was  a  finale  to  the  war  with  England  of  1812, 
in  which  a  part  of  the  tribes,  headed  by  Black  Hawk,  had 
fought  against  the  Americans.     This  treaty  was  not  signed 
by  Black  Hawk  or  his  band,  although  signed  largely  by 
Chiefs  of  both  tribes,  who  were  fully  empowered  so  to  do. 
In   May,   1816,  another  treaty  was  held  at  St.  Louis,  in 
which  that  of  1801  was    recognized,    and  was  signed    by 
Black  Hawk. 


18  DAVEISPORT 


One  cannot  donbt  that  these  snceessive  treaties  were 
])iiKlin<^  upon  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  although  the  re- 
muneration was  contemptibly  smalh  All  this  rich  extent 
of  land  was  made  over  for  the  pittance  of  some  two 
thousand  dollars  (in  goods,)  down,  and  an  annuity  of  one 
thousand,  also  in  goods.  That  such  treaties  should  also  be 
held  among  the  tribes,  and  not  a  distance,  is  obviously  no 
more  than  fair.  All  complaint  would  thereafter  be  pre- 
vented. 

In  1816,  Fort  Armstrong  ivas  erected  upon  Kock  Island. 
It  was  a  measure  distasreful  to  the  Indians,  for  reasons 
which  we  give  in  Black  Hawk's  own  words : 

"  We  did  not,  however,  object  to  their  building  the  fort 
on  the  Island,  but  we  were  very  sorry,  as  this  was  the  best 
Island  on  the  Mississippi,  and  had  long  been  the  resort  of 
our  young  people  during  the  summer.  It  was  our  garden 
(like  the  white  people  have  near  their  big  villages,)  which 
supplied  us  with  strawberries,  blackberries,  plums,  apples, 
and  nuts  of  various  kinds;  and  its  waters  supplied  us  with 
pure  fish,  being  situated  in  the  rapids  of  the  river.  In  my 
early  life,  I  spent  many  happy  days  on  this  Island.  A 
good  spirit  had  care  of  it,  who  lived  in  a  cave  in  the  rocks 
immediately  under  the  place  where  the  Fort  now  stands, 
and  has  often  been  seen  by  our  people.  He  was  -white,  with 
large  wings  like  a  sipan's,  but  ten  times  larger.  We  were 
particular  not  to  make  much  noise  in  that  part  of  the 
island  which  he  inhabited,  for  fear  of  disturbing  him.  But 
the  noise  of  the  Fort  has  since  driven  him  away,  and  no 
doubt  a  bad  spirit  has  taken  his  place  !" 

Not  a  few  Davenport  readers  will  recognize  in  this  the 
base  of  the  legend  of  Black  Hawk's  Cave,  and  liis  going 
thither  to  consult  with  the  good  Genius  of  the  place.  A 
fit  place,  truly,  was  it,  for  the  dwelling  of  the  Red  man's 
tutelar   spirit!     Facing  the  glorious  river,  which,  fair  as 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  19 


tlie  Eridanus  of  Elysium,  rolled  before  it, — with  tlie 
music  of  its  flow  softly  tilling  the  recesses  of  his  retreat 
— with  the  poetry  of  moving  waters  ever  dramatized 
before  his  eyes — on  either  side  the  prairie  rolling  back 
like  an  ocean  of  green,  frozen  to  rigidity  in  some  long, 
gentle  swell — the  shady  island,  with  its  luscious  fruits, 
and  a  domain  as  lair  as  the  Garden  of  Ilesperides — 
with  the  long,  winding  bluffs  on  either  side,  rolling 
away  in  the  distance  till,  uniting  above  and  below,  they 
walled  in  as  glorious  a  landscape  of  plain  and  hill, 
curve,  rounding  outlines  of  surface,  water,  foliage  and  sky, 
as  ever  artist-hand  sketched,  or  artist-brain  imagined — with 
all  these  circumstances,  we  do  not  wonder  that  the  imag- 
inative Indian  located  in  this  peculiar  spot  his  Guardian 
Genius ! 


20  DAVENPORT 


CHAPTER    III. 

BLack  Hawk  Continued— Treaties— Removals— Invasions— Executive  Influence 
and  Alarm — Crossing  the  Mississippi— Stillman's  Run — Retreat — Massacre 
at  Bad  Axe — Treaty— Close  of  Black  Hawk's  History. 

In  1823,  by  the  advice  of  tlie  agent  at  Fort  Armstrong, 
tlie  larger  portion  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  headed  hy 
*Keokuk,  removed  across  the  Mississippi.  That  portion  of 
the  Sac  nation  which,  under  the  leadership  of  Black  Hawk, 
had,  by  their  fidelity  to  the  British  in  1812,  earned  the 
appellation  of  the  "British  Band,"  steadily  refused  to 
vacate  the  Sac  village  at  Hock  River. 

It  has  been  ascribed  to  a  spirit  of  rivalry — this  difference 
between    Keokuk     and  Black   Hawk,    which   prevented 

*  Keokuk. — The  design  of  the  present  Chapter  will  not  allow  the  name  of 
Keokuk  that  prominence  which  his  character  deserves.  He  rose  from  obscurity 
to  a  Chieftainship  by  the  mere  force  of  his  talents.  He  was  a  brave  warrior,  a 
firm  friend  to  the  Americans,  and  an  orator  without  a  rival  among  the  tribes 
of  the  North-West.  He  was  a  Sac,  and  his  name  denotes  the  "  AVatchful  Fox." 
He  eventually  superseded  Black  Hawk,  and  was,  for  a  long  time,  head  chief  of 
the  Sac  nation. 

The  following  description  is  taken  from  a  cotemporaneous  work  : 
"In  person,  Keokuk  is  stout,  graceful,  and  commanding,  with  fine  features, 
and  an  intelligent  countenance.  His  broad  expanded  chest,  and  muscular 
limbs,  denote  activity  and  physical  strength;  and  he  is  known  to  excel  in 
dancing,  horsemanship,  and  all  athletic  exercises.  *  *  *  In  point  of 
intellect,  and  integrity  of  character,  and  the  capacity  for  governing  others,  he 
is  supposed  to  have  no  superior  among  the  Indians.  Bold,  courageous,  and 
skilful  in  war — mild,  firm,  and  politic  in  peace.  He  has  s^reat  enterprise,  and 
active  impulses,  with  a  freshness  and  enthusiasm  of  feeling,  which  might 
readily  lead  him  astray,  but  for  his  quick  perception  of  human  character,  his 
uncommon  prudence,  and  his  calm  sound  judgment.  *  ■><•  *  Such  is 
Keokuk,  the  Watchful  Fox,  who  prides  himself  upon  being  the  friend  of  the 
white  man. — Life  of  Black  Ilawk  ;   Cincinnati. 


\± 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  21 


tlie  latter  from  adopting  the  expedient  operation  of  tlie 
former  hj  moving  over  the  Mississippi.  I  cannot  adopt 
this  view — it  may  have  had  some  influence,  but  it  is  en- 
tirely too  trivial  in  its  nature  to  influence  the  important 
step  which  Black  Hawk  took  some  few  years  after.  Patri- 
otism, and  the  love  of  home — of  the  village  where  his 
tribe  had  lived  for  more  than  a  century,  and  where  every- 
thing which  makes  life  honorable  or  desirable  had  orig- 
inated, had  undoubtedly  more  influence  in  Black  Hawk's 
decision  than  the  mere  desire  of  outvieing  the  rising 
splendor  of  Keokuk.  He  regarded  the  Americans  as  ag- 
gressors— he  had  fought  against  them  in  1812 — his  ances- 
tors— his  father — himself  had  lived,  hunted,  fought,  died, 
and  were  buried  in  the  Sac  village.  He  had  grown  old 
tlaere-— there  slept  his  son  ;  there  was  every  endearment 
which  could  be  evolved  from  the  past,  as  well  of  the  savage 
as  the  refined — and  he  could  not  bring  himself  to  leave 
them.  There  Jwere  enough  circumstances,  apart  from  his 
dislike  of  the  Americans,  and  their  ruffianly  aggressions,  to 
explain  why  he  left  it  unwillingly,  and  how,  after  leaving 
it,  he  returned  with  a  "forlorn  hope"  to  breast  the  whole 
force  of  the  United  States  in  an  attempt  to  regain  it. 

By  the  terms  of  the  treaty  with  the  United  States,  the 
Indians  were  to  retain  possession  of  their  lands  until  they 
were  sold  to  actual  settlers.  Some  white  families,  however, 
who  probably  considered  an  Indian's  title  to  life,  land  and 
liberty,  as  merely  nominal,  and  of  no  account,  w^hen 
measured  against  the  "Eights"  of  the  white  man,  moved 
on  to  the  Sac  village.  Not  content  with  thus  actually 
stealing  the  land,  they  took  advantage  of  Black  Hawk's 
absence  on  a  hunting  expedition  to  not  only  fence  in  the 
Indians'  cornfields,  but  to  take  possession  of  Black  Hawk's 
lodge. 

These  whites  had  established  themselves  in  direct  viola- 
tion of  the  treaty  of  1804.     They  continued  their  aggres- 


22  DAVENPORT 


sions — destroyed  the  Indians'  corn,  killed  their  domestic 
animals,  and  whipped  their  wives  and  children.  ISIuch 
against  the  wishes  of  Black  Hawk,  they  introduced  a  traffic 
in  spirituous  liquor,  and  made  drunkenness  and  debauchery 
common.  The  remonstrances  of  Black  Hawk,  and  other 
chiefs,  were  unavailing,  equally  in  regard  to  the  encroach- 
ments upon  their  lands,  or  the  sale  of  spirituous  liquors. 
The  Indians  were  regarded  as  legitimate  prey  by  these 
harpies — and  appeals  to  their  sense  of  justice  or  to  their 
reason  were  alike  unavailing.  Black  Hawk,  upon  one  occa- 
sion, even  took  the  trouble  to  put  in  practice  a  modern  princi- 
ple of  action — the  Maine  law — by  knocking  in  the  head  of  a 
barrel  of  whisky,  which  the  owner  had  continued  to  vend 
in  spite  of  the  old  chief's  remonstrances. 

This  condition  of  things  continued  until  1827.  In  the 
winter  of  this  year,  while  the  Indians  were  absent  on  their 
periodical  hunt,  the  whites  devised  a  famous  scheme  for 
getting  rid  of  those  upon  whose  lands  they  were  intruding. 
It  was  a  well  conceived  operation — although  moralists 
would  call  it  rather  robbery  than  honorable  policy.  It  was 
no  less  than  to  expedite  the  Indians  on  their  destination 
over  the  Mississippi,  by  burning  their  lodges  !  Accord- 
ingly, the  torch  was  applied  to  some  forty  lodges,  which 
were  entirely  consumed.  When  the  Indians  returned  in 
the  Spring,  and  required  satisfaction  for  this  unwarrantable 
outrage,  they  received  only  fresh  insults. 

The  wigwam  of  an  Indian  is  inconsiderable — but  still  so 
far  as  rigid  is  concerned,  there  was,  in  the  burning  of  these 
lodges,  as  clear  a  case  of  halter-deserving  arson  as  ever  fell 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  judicial  ermine.  To  apply  the  in- 
cendiary torch  to  one's  lodge,  and  to  run  the  plough-share 
through  the  sacred  mounds  of  ancestral  graves,  are  no 
light  provocations,  although  committed  upon  the  Red  man- 
When  one  adds  to  these,  the  indignity  of  Uovjs  upon  his 
own  person,  and  worse,  upon  that  of  his  wife  and  children, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  23 


wi  can  nearly  or  quite  excuse  him  if  lie  applies,  as  his 
remedy,  the  sharpest  ^ea;  talionis  at  his  command.  Especially 
is  such  a  result  excusable  after  warning,  expostulations, 
and  appeal  to  higher  powers,  have  signally  and  utterly  failed. 

There  is  always  upon  the  frontier  a  set  of  reckless  men, 
speculators,  squatters,  and  loafers,  who,  devoid  of  principle 
and  humanity,  care  less  for  the  rights  and  lives  of  others, 
and  especially  for  those  of  Indians,  than  they  do  for  the 
same  qualities  in  an  irrational  animal.  Such  men  held 
possession  of  the  frontiers  in  1827,  and  such  were  they  who 
had  infringed  upon  the  precincts  of  the  Sac  village. 

Under  the  seventh  article  of  the  treaty  of  1804,  it  was 
provided  ;  "  that  as  long  as  the  lands  which  are  now  ceded 
to  the  United  States  remain  their  property,  the  Indians  be- 
longing to  said  tribes,  shall  enjoy  the  privilege  of  living 
and  hunting  upon  them." 

iSTone  of  the  lands  upon  Rock  River  were  brought  into 
market  until  1829,  and  consequently  the  Indians,  prior  to 
this  time,  had  as  much  right  to  them  as  if  they  held  them 
in  fee  simple.  At  this  time,  1829,  the  lands  purchased  in  the 
treaty  in  1804-,  were  not  olfered  for  sale  within  sixty  miles 
of  this  point — yet  for  the  unjustifiable  purpose  of  getting 
rid  of  the  Indians  on  Rock  River,  the  lands  upon  which  the 
Sac  village  stood  were  thrown  into  market. 

In  the  spring  of  1830,  when  Black  Hawk  and  his  party 
returned  from  their  winter's  hunt,  and  commenced  prepa- 
rations for  planting,  they  were  notified  that  the  land  was 
sold,  and  that  they  must  remove  west  of  the  Mississippi. 
Unwilling,  hov/ever,  to  remove,  he  visited  Maiden  to  con- 
sult his  "British  Father,"  and  returned  by  way  of  Detroit 
to  see  General  Cass.  Both  advised  him  if  he  had  not  sold 
his  land  to  remain  quietly  upon  it,  and  he  could  not  be  dis- 
turbed. He  returned  late  in  the  fall,  and  found  his  band 
absent  upon  their  winter's  hunt.  Keokuk  exerted  himself 
stronglv  this  winter  to  induce  Black  Hawk's  followers  to 


24  DAVENPORT 


desert  liim,  and  to  remove  across  the  Mississippi.  It  was 
in  vain.  Their  attachment  to  their  village  was  stronger 
than  any  representations  of  the  danger  of  such  a  course, 
and  accordingly,  in  the  Spring  of  1831,  they  all  returned. 
The  agent  at  Hock  Island  immediately  notified  them  to  re- 
move, or  troops  would  he  sent  to  drive  them  off. 

In  the  meantime  the  squaws  had  commenced  planting 
their  corn,  which  the  whites  ploughed  up.  This  enraged 
Black  Hawk,  and  he  threatened  to  remove  the  whites  hy 
force  if  they  persisted  in  such  proceedings.  The  whites 
became  alarmed — a  startling  memorial  was  drawn  up,  con- 
cluding, after  enumerating  a  long  list  of  outrages,  with  the 
astounding  outrage  of  the  "Indians  going  to  a  house, 
rolling  out  a  barrel  of  whisky,  and  knocking  in  its  head  !" 
Terrifying  rumors  were  circulated  of  border  depredations 
committed  by  "General  Black  Hawk"  and  his  "British 
Band."  The  Executive  of  Illinois  promptly  ordered  out 
seven  hundred  militia  to  meet  this  "  invasion." 

However,  General  Gaines  ordered  some  ten  companies 
to  Rock  Island,  and  with  them  proceeded  there  in  June. 
A  conference  was  held  with  Black  Hawk,  the  result 
of  which  was,  that  he  refused  to  leave.  However,  some 
sixteen  hundred  mounted  militiamen  having  arrived.  Gen. 
Gaines  took  possession  of  the  Sac  village,  and  Black  Hawk 
retreated  across  the  river.  A  treaty  was  then  concluded, 
wherein  Black  Hawk  agreed  not  to  cross  the  river  without 
permission. 

Thus  ended,  for  that  year,  this  famous  campaign — which, 
while  being  in  reality  buta  squabblebetween  Black  Hawk's 
squaws,  and  the  whites,  about  cornfields,  and  rights  of  way, 
was  magnified  by  Gov.  Reynolds  into  an  actual  invasion. 

In  the  Spring  of  1832,  Black  Hawk  received  information 
from  the  Prophet  that  not  only  the  British,  but  several 
tribes  of  Indians  would  assist  him  in  recovering  his  lands. 
After  vainly  endeavoring  to  persuade^  Keokuk  to  join  him, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  25 


he  started  in  April  from  liis  rendezvous  at  Fort  Madison, 
and,  attended  by  liis  band,  mth  their  wives  and  children, 
landed  at  Rock  River,  and  proceeded  to  ascend  it.  This 
was  in  violation  of  the  treaty  of  the  preceding  year.  He 
was  ordered  by  Gen.  Atkinson — then  stationed  at  Fort 
Armstrong — to  return  ;  but  he  refused  on  the  grounds  of 
his  mission  being  a  peaceful  one,  as  he  was  proceeding  to  a 
"Winnebago  village  further  up  the  river,  there,  by  their  in- 
vitation, to  raise  corn. 

After  reaching  the  Winnebago  village.  Black  Hawk 
ascertained  that  the  tribe  would  not  assist  him,  although 
willing  that  he  should  plant  corn.  He  then  determined  to 
return  along  Rock  River,  and  recross  the  Mississippi,  as  he 
had  by  this  time  learned  that  all  the  promised  assistance 
from  other  tribes  had  failed.  Before  returning,  he  deter- 
mined to  give  a  feast  in  honor  of  some  Pottowatomies  then 
visiting  him. 

In  the  meantime.  Gen.  Atkinson,  with  six  huijdred 
troops,  had  ascended  Rock  River  in  pursuit  of  Black  Hawk, 
and  at  this  time  had  arrived  at  Dixon's  ferry,  a  point  about 
half  way  from  the  Mississippi  to  Black  Hawk's  camp. 
There,  Maj.  Stillman,  with  some  three  hundred  volunteers, 
proceeded  forward  on  a  scouting  expedition.  He  proceeded 
up  to  Sycamore  Creek,  which  was  within  a  few  miles  of 
Black  Hawk. 

The  latter  hearing  that  troops  had  been  seen  near  him, 
immediately  sent  three  young  men  with  a  flag  of  truce,  to 
conduct  them  to  his  camp,  for  the  purpose  of  a  conference. 
These,  upon  approaching  the  troops,  were  taken  j^^^i-'^oners, 
and  one  of  iliem  shot  !  .  Five  others  were  despatched  by  the 
wary  old  chief  to  mark  the  result.  These  had  not  pro- 
ceeded far  before  they  saw  the  troops  coming  toward  them 
at  a  full  gallop.  Two  of  them  were  overtaken  and  killed, 
the  other  three  reached  the  camp,  and  gave  the  alarm.  All 
of  Black  Hawk's  men  were  then  absent,  but  about  fifty. 
4 


26  DAVENPORT 


These  immediately  charged  upon  the  advancing  troops, 
and  completely  routed  the  valorous  three  hundred  !  The 
retreat  did  not  stop  on  reaching  their  camp,  hut  many  not 
even  deeming  Gen.  Atkinson's  flag  a  sufficient  defense, 
kept  on  fifty  miles  farther,  to  their  own  homes  ! 

This  was  the  famous  "battle"  of  "Stillman's  Run,"  and 
it,  perhaps,  conferred  a  more  lasting  notoriety  upon  those 
engaged  in  it,  than  "vrould  have  the  hardest  fought  battle. 
The  whole  proceeding — from  the  firing  upon  the  flag- 
bearers  at  the  beginning,  to  their  "turning  tail"  to  the 
Indians  at  the  end — is  the  most  cowardly  aflair  on  record. 
There  is  not  a  doubt  but  if  the  flag  had  been  respected, 
and  a  conference  held,  that  Black  Hawk  would  have 
peaceably  returned  to  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi. 

A  bloody  frontier  war  ensued.  The  "British  Band" 
divided  in  squads,  and  attacked  and  butchered  wherever 
they  could  find  an  opportunity.  One  thousand  more  troops 
■were  ordered  out,  and  Gen.  Scott  proceeded  towards  the 
scene  of  action  with  about  the  same  number,  having  been 
despatched  by  the  Secretary  of  War.  The  Indians  were 
gradually  driven  north,  and,  as  they  reached  the  Wisconsin 
river,  they  were  defeated,  with  a  bloody  loss,  by  Gen. 
Dodge,  the  former  losing  some  forty  of  their  braves,  the 
latter  but  one.  This  decisive  blow  ended,  in  reality,  the 
war.  The  women  and  children  escaping  down  the  Wis- 
consin on  rafts,  starved,  or  were  shot  by  troops  stationed 
along  the  river,  with  but  a  miserably  small  exception. 

Black  Hawk,  and  his  remaining  party,  attempted  to 
reach  the  Mississippi  by  taking  a  direct  line  across  the 
country,  toward  a  point  some  forty  miles  above  the  mouth 
of  the  Wisconsin.  After  losing  many  by  starvation,  the 
flying  band  reached  the  river,  and  made  preparations  for 
crossing  it — but  the  steamboat  Warrior  gave  them  another 
check.  Regardless  of  a  white  flag,  exhibited  by  them,  the 
Captain  let  fly  a  six-pounder  among  them,  and,  to  use  his 


ANTOINE   LeCLAIRE'S  OLD  RESIDENCE. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  27 


own  elegant  language,  "if  you  ever  saw  straight  blankets 
you  saw  them  there  !"=*'  The  next  morning,  the  whole  of 
Gen.  Atkinson's  army  arrived  in  pursuit  of  the  Indians, 
and  inimediately  attacked  them.  This  "battle"  was  simply 
a  massacre — the  sharp-shooters  amusing  themselves  by 
picking  off  the  women  and  children,  w^ho  were  endeavor- 
ing to  cross  the  river.  The  most  who  escaped  by  crossing 
the  river  passed  from  Scyllad  to  Charybis — for  they 
were  attacked  by  a  party  of  Sioux,  and  were  either  killed 
or  taken  prisoners.  The  "  battle"  of  Bad  Axe  was  simply 
a  victory  of  overpowering  numbers  over  a  starved  remnant 
of  a  brave  tribe,  and  an  indiscriminate  massacre  of  men, 
women  and  children.  From  the  unjustifiable  act  of  the 
"Warrior  in  firing  upon  a  flag  of  truce  to  the  shooting  of  in- 
nocent women  and  harmless  children,  there  is  not  much 
to  admire. 

Black  Hawk  escaped,  but  was  taken  by  a  couple  of 
treacherous  Winnebagoes,  and  delivered,  along  with  the 
Prophet,  to  General  Street,  August  27th,  at  Prairie  du 
Chien.  He  was  sent  in  a  few  days  to  Rock  Island,  where, 
on  the  21st  September,  a  new  treaty  was  concluded  be- 
tween the  Whites  and  Indians.  In  consequence  of  cholera 
in  the  Fort,  the  treaty  was  held  on  the  Wisconsin  side — 
on  the  spot  of  ground  now  occupied  by  the  Mississippi  and 
Missouri  Railroad  buildings. 

It  was  at  this  treaty  that  Keokuk  made  a  reserve  of 
a  section  of  land  which  was  made  over  to  the  wife  of 
Antoine  Le  Claire,  on  the  single  condition  that  the  latter 
should  build  his  house  upon  the  spot  of  ground  occupied 
by  the  marquee  of  Gen.  Scott  during  the  treaty.  The  re- 
sult of  the  treaty  was,  that  the  United  States  acquired  from 
the  Sacs  and  Foxes  six  millions  of  acres  lying  west  of  the 
Mississippi,  which  acquisition  was  known  as  the  "Black 
Hawk  Purchase,"  and  subsequently  as  the  "Iowa  District." 

*  See  B,  end  of  Chapter  III. 


28  DAVENPORT 


A  reserve  of  forty  miles  square,  known  as  "Keokuk's  Ke- 
serve,"  was  made  in  favor  of  that  Chief  on  Iowa  River. 

This  land  was  purchased  for  twenty  thousand  dollars  per 
annum  for  thirty  years — the  payment  of  the  dehts  of  the 
tribe,  and  the  support  of  a  black  and  gun  smith  among 
them. 

This  ends  the  brief  notice  of  prominent  events  in  the 
life  of  Black  Hawk,  and  the  celebrated  "Black  Hawk 
i^Yar" — than  which  latter  there  is  scarcely  a  more  farcical 
"v/ar"  on  record.  Beginning  in  the  aggressions  of  the 
whites,  and  lack  of  forbearance  afterward  with  the  less  re- 
fined Indians — with  bombast  and  cowardice,  and  violation 
of  sacred  pledges  interspersing  its  sparse  details  of  noble- 
ness, charity  and  bravery,  it  is  not  one  which  can  or  should 
reflect  particular  credit  upon  the  part  of  the  Whites.  But 
let  it  pass — every  year's  inquiries  are  revealing  these  facts 
— and  posterity  will  yet  pass  a  righteous  verdict  upon  its 
character. 

When  Black  Ilawk  passed  down  the  river,  during  a 
visit  to  Rock  Island  in  the  Spring  of  '33,  we  are  informed 
by  Lieut.  Mitchell  that,  as  he  passed  along  below  Rock 
Island,  he  "  eried  like  a  child,"  as  his  eye  looked  upon  the 
site  of  his  old  village.  There  is  something  peculiarly  aifect- 
iug  in  this  incident,  and  it  reveals  no  little  of  the  Beautiful 
in  the  heart  of  the  savage.  He  was  in  his  sixty-fifth  year 
— an  old  man.  There  were  the  rolling  prairies  of  his  beau- 
tiful village — the  theatre  of  the  great  exploits  of  his  whole 
life,  which  he  was  never  to  visit  again.  Expatriated,  con- 
quered, thrust  down  from  his  high  position,  and  igno- 
miniously  treated,  with  the  sight  of  boyhood  and  man- 
hood's home  in  the  possession  of  the  stranger-enemy,  and 
with  the  prospect  of  a  distant  removal  in  his  old  age,  from 
all  that  he  valued — why  should  not  the  aged  chief  weep  ? 
He  died — and  among  all  the  famous  events  of  "  General 
Black  Hawk's"  history — among  all  his  brave  exploits,  and 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  29 


magnanimous  deeds,  there  is  not  one  so  lustrous  as  the  aged 
man  weeping  as  he  passed  his  old  home,  and  the  graves  of 
his  kindred. 

Let  Posterity  do  him  at  least  the  justice  to  own  that 
there  was  in  his  acts  a  single  one  of  poetic  beauty,  which 
is  paralleled  only  in  acts  giving  birth  to  "  Thoughts  that 
breathe,  and  words  that  burn." 

A.  Indian  Customs.— In  closing  these  chapters,  it  may  not  be  inappropriate  to  give  a 
few  of  tlie  customs,  beliefs,  &c.,  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  tribes  : 

Marriages. — Our  women  plant  the  corn,  and  as  soon  as  Ihey  get  done,  we  make  a  feast,  and 
dance  the  crane  dance,  in  which  they  join  us,  dressed  in  their  best,  and  decorated  with  feathers. 
At  this  feast  our  young  braves  select  the  young  woman  they  wish  to  have  for  a  wife.  He  then 
informs  his  mother,  who  calls  on  the  mother  of  the  girl,  when  the  arrangement  is  made,  and  the 
time  appointed  for  him  to  come.  Uo  goes  to  the  lodge  when  all  are  asleep,  (or  pretend  to  be,) 
lights  his  matches,  which  have  been  provided  for  the  purpose,  and  soon  finds  where  his  intended 
sleeps.  lie  then  awakens  her,  and  holds  the  light  to  his  face,  that  she  may  know  him— after 
which  he  places  the  light  close  to  her.  If  she  blows  it  out,  the  ceremony  is  ended,  and  he  ap- 
pears in  the  lodge  the  next  morning,  as  one  of  the  family.  If  she  does  not  blow  out  the  light, 
but  leaves  it  to  burn  out,  he  retires  from  the  lodge.  The  next  day  he  places  himself  in  full  view 
of  it,  and  plays  his  tlute.  The  young  women  go  out,  one  by  one,  to  see  who  he  is  playing  for. 
The  tune  changes,  to  let  them  know  that  he  is  not  playing  for  them.  When  his  intended  makes 
her  appearance  at  the  door,  he  continues  his  courting  tune,  until  she  returns  to  the  lodge.  He 
then  gives  over  jtlaying,  and  makes  another  trial  at  night,  which  generally  turns  out  favorable. 
Durmg  the  first  year  they  ascertain  whether  they  can  agree  with  each  other,  and  can  be  happy — 
if  not,  they  part,  and  each  looks  out  again.  If  we  were  to  live  together,  and  disagree,  we  should 
be  as  foolish  iis  the  whites.  No  indiscretion  can  banish  a  woman  from  her  parental  lodge— no 
difference  how  many  children  she  may  bring  home,  she  is  always  welcome — the  kettle  is  over  the 
fire  to  feed  them. 

Dances. — The  crane  dance  often  lasts  two  or  three  days.  'Wheu  this  is  over,  we  feast  again, 
and  hav3  our  national  dance.  The  large  square  in  the  village  is  swept  and  prejjared  for  the  pur- 
pose. The  chiefs  and  old  warriors,  take  seats  on  mats,  which  have  been  spread  at  the  upper  end 
of  the  square — the  drummers  and  singers  come  next,  and  the  bravrs  and  women  form  the  sides, 
leaving  a  large  space  in  the  middle.  The  drums  beat,  and  the  singers  commence.  A  warrior 
enters  the  square,  keeping  time  with  the  music.  Ho  shows  the  manner  ho  started  on  a  war 
party— how  he  approached  the  enemy — he  strikes,  and  deseiibes  the  way  he  kille<l  him.  AI]  join 
in  applause.  He  then  leaves  the  square,  and  another  enters  and  takes  his  place.  Such  of  our 
young  men  as  have  not  been  out  in  war  parties,  and  killed  an  enemy,  stand  back  ashamed — not 
being  able  to  enter  the  square.  I  remember  that  I  was  ashamed  to  look  where  our  young  women 
stood,  before  I  could  take  my  stand  in  the  square  as  a  warrior. 

What  pleasure  it  is  to  an  oM  warrior,  to  see  his  son  come  forward  and  relate  his  exploits — it 
makes  him  feel  young,  and  induces  him  to  enter  the  square,  and  ''fight  his  battles  o'er  again." 

This  national  dance  makes  our  w.arriors.  When  I  was  traveling  last  summer,  on  a  steam  boat, 
ou  a  large  river,  going  from  New  York  to  Albany,  I  was  shown  the  place  where  the  Americans 
dance  their  national  dance  [West  Point];  where  the  old  warriors  recount  to  their  young  man, 
what  they  have  done,  to  stimulate  them  to  go  and  do  likewise.  This  surprised  me,  as  I  did  not 
think  the  whites  understood  our  way  of  making  braves. 

Labors,  Wars,  Keasts,  &c.— When  our  national  dance  is  over — our  corn-fields  hoed,  and  every 
weed  dug  up,  and  our  corn  about  knee  high,  all  our  young  men  would  start  in  a  direction 
towards  sun<lown,  to  hunt  deer  and  bufi^xlo- being  prepared,  also,  to  kill  Sioux,  if  any  are  found 
on  our  hunting  grounds — a  part  of  our  old  men  and  women  to  the  lead  mines  to  make  lead — and 
the  remainder  of  our  people  start  to  fish,  and  get  mat  stuff.  Every  one  leaves  the  village,  and 
remains  about  forty  (is^i«t-^.<rhey  then  return  :  the  hunting  party  bringing  in  dried  buffalo  and 
deer  meat,  and  sometimes  .5*02(3!  scalps,  wheu  they  are  found  trespassing  on  our  hunting 
grounds.  At  other  times  they  are  met  by  a  party  of  Sioux  too  strong  for  them,  and  are  driven 
in.  If  the  Sioux  have  killed  the  Sacks  last,  they  expect  to  be  retaliated  upon,  and  will  fly  before 
them,  and  vice  versa.  Kacli  party  knows  that  the  other  has  a  right  to  retaliate,  which  induces 
those  who  have  killed  last,  to  give  way  before  their  enemy— as  neither  wisli  to  strike,  except  to 
avenge  the  death  of  their  relatives.  All  our  wars  are  predicated  by  the  relatives  of  those  killed; 
or  by  aggressions  upon  our  hunting  ground-i. 

The  party  from  the  lead  mines  biiii^'  lead,  and  the  others  dried  fish,  and  mats  for  our  winter 
lodges.  Presents  are  now  made  by  each  party;  the  first,  giving  to  the  others  dried  bufiiilo  and 
deer,  and  they,  in  exchange,  presenting  them  with  lead,  dried  fish  and  mats.  This  is  a  hajipy 
season  of  the  year— having  plenty  of  provisions,  such  as  beans,  squashes,  and  other  produce,  with 
our  dried  meat  and  fish,  we  continue  to  make  feasts  and  visit  each  other,  until  our  corn  is  ripe. 


Soni"  loilge  in  the  villngo  makes  a  feast  daily  to  tlio  Great  Spirit.  I  cannot  explain  this  so  that 
tilt'  white  people  would  comprehend  nie,  us  we  have  no  regular  standard  among  us.  Kvery  one 
makes  his  teasl  as  he  thinks  best,  to  please  the  Great  Spirit,  who  has  the  care  of  all  beings  cre- 
ated. Others  believer  in  two  Spirits:  one  good  and  one  bad,  and  make  feasts  for  the  Bad  Spirit, 
to  keep  him  quiet!  If  they  can  make  peace  with  him,  the  Good  Spirit  will  not  hurt  them !  For 
my  part,  1  am  of  opinion,  thai  so  far  as  we  have  reason,  we  have  a  right  to  use  it,  in  determining 
whai.  is  right  or  wrong;  and  should  jmrsue  that  pat+i  which  we  believe  to  be  right — believing, 
that  "  whatever  is,  is  right."  If  the  Great  and  Good  Spirit  wished  us  to  believe  and  do  as  the 
whites,  he  could  easily  cliange  our  opinions,  so  that  we  wo.ild  see,  and  think,  and  act  as  they  do. 
We  are  nothing compMcil  to  His  power,  and  we  feel  and  know  it.  We  have  men  among  ua,  like 
the  whites,  who  pretend  to  know  the  right  path,  but  will  not  consent  to  show  it  without  pay  t 
I  have  no  faith  in  tlieir  paths — but  believe  that  every  man  must  make  his  own  path  ! 

Origin  of  Corn. — 1  will  here  relate  the  manner  in  which  corn  first  came.  According  to  tra- 
dition, handed  down  lo  oiu'  people,  a  beautiful  woman  was  seen  to  descend  from  the  clouds,  and 
alight  upon  the  earth,  by  two  of  our  ancestors,  who  had  killed  a  deer,  and  were  sitting  by  a  fire, 
roasting  apart  of  it  to  eat.  They  were  astonished  at  seeing  her,  and  concluded  that  she  must  bo 
hungry,  and  had  smelt  the  meat — and  inmiediately  went  to  her,  taking  with  them  a  piece  of  the 
rousted  venison.  Tliey  presented  it  to  her,  and  she  eat — and  told  them  to  return  to  i,he  spot 
where  she  was  sitting,  at  the  end  of  one  year,  and  they  would  find  a  reward  for  their  kindness 
and  generosity.  She  then  ascended  to  the  clouds,  and  disappeared.  The  two  men  returned  to 
their  village,  and  explained  to  the  nation  what  they  had  seen,  done,  and  heard — but  were 
laughed  at  by  their  people.  When  the  period  arrived,  for  them  to  visit  this  consecrated  ground, 
where  they  were  to  find  a  reward  for  their  attention  to  the  beautiful  woman  of  the  clouds,  they 
went  with  a  large  party,  and  found,  where  her  right  hand  had  rested  on  the  ground,  corn  grow- 
ing— and  whore  the  left  hand  had  rested,  beans — and  immediately  where  she  Lad  been  seated, 
tobacco. 

The  two  first  have,  ever  s'nce,  been  cultivated  by  our  people,  as  our  principal  provisions — and 
the  last  used  for  smoking.  Tlie  white  jieople  have  since  found  out  the  latter,  and  seems  to  relisli 
it  as  much  as  we  do — as  they  use  it  in  different  ways,  viz  :  smoking,  snuffing  and  eating! 

Sports,  &c. — We  thank  the  Great  Spirit  for  all  the  benefits  he  has  conferred  upon  us.  For  my- 
self, I  never  take  a  drink  of  water  from  a  spring,  without  being  mindtul  of  his  goodness. 

\Ve  next  have  our  great  ball  play — from  three  to  five  hundred  on  a  side,  play  this  game.  We 
play  for  horses,  guns,  blankets,  or  any  other  kind  of  property  we  have.  The  successful  party 
take  the  stakes,  and  all  retire  to  oui  lodges  in  peace  and  friendshijj. 

We  next  commence  horse-racing,  and  continue  our  sport  and  feasting,  until  the  corn  is  all  se- 
cured. We  then  prepare  to  leave  our  village  for  our  hunting  grounds.  The  traders  arrive,  and 
give  us  credit  for  such  articles  as  we  want  to  clothe  our  families,  and  enable  us  to  hunt.  We  first, 
however,  hold  a  council  with  I  hem,  to  ascertain  the  price  they  will  give  us  for  our  skins,  and 
^vhat  they  will  charge  us  for  goods.  We  inform  them  where  we  intend  hunting — and  tell  them 
where  to  build  their  houses.  At  this  place,  we  deposit  part  of  our  corn,  and  leave  our  old  people. 
The  traders  have  always  been  kind  to  them,  and  relieved  them  when  in  want,  They  were  always 
much  respected  by  our  people — and  never  since  we  have  been  a  nation,  haS  one  of  them  been 
killed  by  any  of  our  people. 

We  disperse,  in  small  jiartiei,  to  make  our  hunt,  and  as  soon  as  it  is  over,  wo  return  to  our 
traders'  establishment,  with  our  skins,  and  remain  feasting,  playing  cards,  and  other  pastimes, 
until  near  the  close  of  the  winter.  Onr  young  men  then  start  on  tlie  beaver  hunt;  others  to  hunt 
raccoons  and  muskrats — and  the  remainder  of  our  people  go  to  the  sugar  cani|)s  to  make  sugar. 
All  leave  our  encampment,  and  appoint  a  place  to  meet  on  the  Mississippi,  so  that  we  may  return 
to  our  village  together,  in  the  spring.  We  always  spent  our  time  ijleasaiitly  at  the  sugar  camp. 
It  being  the  season  for  wild  fowl,  we  lived  well,  and  always  had  jileiity,  when  the  hunters  came 
in.  that  we  might  make  a  feast  for  them.  After  this  is  over,  we  return  to  our  village,  acc<mi- 
panied,  sometimes,  by  our  traders.  In  this  way,  the  year  rolled  round  happily.  But  these  are 
times  that  were ! 


B. Myself  and  band  having  no  means   to  descend  the  Ouisconsin,  I  started,  over  a  rugged 

country,  to  go  to  the  Mississippi,  intending  to  cross  it,  and  return  to  my  nation.  Many  of  our 
people  were  compelled  to  goon  foot,  for  want  of  horses,  which,  in  consequence  of  their  having  had 
nothing  to  eat  for  a  long  time,  caused  our  march  to  be  very  slow.  At  length  we  arrived  at  the 
iviississippi,  having  lost  some  of  our  old  men  and  little  children,  who  perished  on  the  way  with 
hunger. 

We  had  been  here  but  a  little  while,  before  we  saw  a  steam  boat  (the  "Warrior,")  coming.  I 
told  my  braves  not  to  shoiit,  as  I  intended  going  on  board,  so  that  we  might  save  our  womeuand 
children.  I  knew  the  captain,  (Throckmorton,)  and  was  determined  to  give  myself  up  to  him. 
1  then  sent  for  my  white  flag.  While  the  messenger  was  gone,  I  took  a  small  piece  of  white  cot- 
ton, and  put  it  on  a  pole,  and  called  to  the  captain  of  the  boat,  and  told  him  to  send  his  little 
canoe  ashore,  and  let  me  come  on  board.  The  people  on  the  boat  asked  whether  we  were  Sacs 
or  Winnehagoes.  I  told  a  Winnebago  to  tell  them  that  we  were  Sacs,  and  wan  ted  to  give  our- 
selves up!  A  Winnebago  on  the  boat  called  to  us  "to  ru7i  and  hide,  thai  the  ivldtes  were,  going  to 
shoot !"     About  this  time  one  of  my  braves  had  jumped  into  the  river,  bearing  a  wiiite  flag  to  the 

boat when  another  sprang  in  after  him,  and  brought  him  to  shore.     The  firing  then  commenced 

from  the  boat,  which  was  returned  by  my  braves,  and  continued  for  some  time.    Very  few  of  my 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  81 


people  were  hurt  after  the  first  fire,  having  succeeded  in  getting  behind  old  logs  and  trees,  which 
shielded  them  from  the  enemy's  fire. 

The  Winnebago,  on  the  steam  boat,  must  either  have  misunderstood  what  was  told,  or  did  not 
tell  it  to  the  captain  correctly ;  because  I  am  confident  that  he  would  not  liave  fired  upon  us.  if 
he  had  known  my  wishes.  I  have  always  considered  him  a  good  man,  and  too  great  a  brave  to 
fire  upon  an  enemy  when  sueing  for  quarters. 

After  the  boat  left  us,  I  told  my  people  to  cross,  if  they  could,  and  wished :  that  I  intended 
going  into  the  Chippewa  country.  Some  commenced  crossing,  and  such  as  had  determined  to 
follow  them,  remained — only  three  lo<lges  going  with  me.  Next  morning,  at  daybreak,  a  young 
man  overtook  me,  and  said  that  all  my  party  had  determined  to  cross  the  lMississipi)i — that  a 
number  had  already  got  over  safe,  and  that  he  had  heard  the  white  army  last  night  within  a 
few  miles  of  tliem.  I  now  began  to  fear  that  the  whites  would  come  up  with  my  people,  and  kill 
them,  before  they  could  get  across.  I  had  determined  to  go  and  join  the  Chippewas;  but  re- 
flecting that  by  this  I  could  only  save  myself,  I  concluded  to  return,  and  die  with  my  people,  if 
the  Great  Spirit  would  not  give  us  another  victory !  During  our  stay  in  the  thicket,  a  party  of 
whites  came  close  by  us,  but  passed  on  without  discovering  us ! 

Early  in  the  morning  a  party  of  whites,  being  in  advance  of  the  army,  came  upon  our  people 
■who  were  attempting  to  cross  the  Mississippi.  They  tried  to  give  themselves  up — the  whites' 
paid  no  attention  to  their  entreaties — but  commenced  slaughtering  them!  In  a  little  while  the 
whole  army  arrived.  Our  braves,  but  few  in  number,  finding  that  tlie  enemy  paid  no  regard  to 
age  or  sex,  and  seeing  that  they  were  murdering  helpless  women  and  little  children,  determined 
to  fight  until  they  were  Jdlled!  As  many  women  as  could,  commenced  swimming  the  Mississippi 
with  their  children  on  their  back.s  A  number  of  them  were  drowned,  and  some  shot,  before  they 
could  reach  the  opposite  shore. 

One  of  my  braves,  who  gave  me  this  information,  piled  up  some  saddles  before  him,  (when  the 
fight  commenced,)  to  shield  himself  from  the  enemy's  fire,  and  killed  three  white  men!  But 
seeing  that  the  whites  were  coming  too  close  to  him,  he  crawled  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  without 
being  perceived,  and  hid  himself  under  it.  until  the  enemy  retired,  lie  then  came  to  me  and 
told  me  what  had  been  done.  After  hearing  this  sorrowful  news.  I  started,  with  my  little  party 
to  the  Winnebago  village  at  Prairie  La  Cross.  On  my  arrival  there,  I  entered  the  lodge  of  one 
of  the  chiefs,  and  told  him  that  I  wished  him  to  go  with  me  to  his  father — that  I  intended  to  give 
myself  up  to  the  American  war  chief,  aud  die,  if  the  Great  Spirit  saw  proper!  He  said  he  would 
go  with  me.     I  then  took  my  medicine  bag,  and  addressed  the  chief.     I  told  him  that  it  was  "the 

soul  of  the  Sac  nation — that  it  never  had  been  dishonored  in   any  battle- — take  it,  it  is  my  life 

dearer  than  life — and  give  it  to  the  American  cliief !"     He  said  he  would  keep  it,  and  take  care  of 
it,  and  if  I  was  suffered  to  live,  he  would  send  it  to  me. 

During  my  stay  at  the  village,  the  squaws  made  me  a  white  dress  of  deer  skin.  I  then  started 
with  several  Winnebagoes,  and  went  to  their  agent,  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  and  gave  myself  up. 

On  my  arrival  there,  I  found  to  my  sorrow,  that  a  large  body  of  Sioux  had  pursued  aud 
killed,  a  number  of  our  women  and  children,  who  had  got  safely  across  the  Mississippi.  The 
whites  ought  not  to  have  permitted  such  conduct — and  none  but  cowards  would  ever  have  been 
guilty  of  such  cruelty — which  has  always  been  practised  on  our  nation  by  the  Sioux. 

The  massacre,  which  terminated  the  war,  lasted  about  two  hours.  Our  loss  in  killed  was 
about  si.xty,  besides  a  number  that  were  drowned.  The  loss  of  the  enemy  could  not  be  ascertained 
by  my  braves,  exjictly ;  but  they  think  that  they  killed  about  sixteen,  during  the  action. 

We  are  indebted  for  the  above  details  to  the  life  of  Black  Hawk,  dictated  by  himself, — Eb. 


DAVENPORT 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Meeting  at  Col.  Davenport's — Site  of  Davenport — Proprietors — Survey — Cost 
of  Pioneer  Enterprises — Anecdote  of  a  Politician — First  Ball — Religious  Ser- 
vices— Rockingham — Postmaster  Appointed. 

In  the  year  1833,  there  were  one  or  two  claims  made 
upon  the  lands  now  occupied  by  the  lower  part  of  the  city. 
The  claim  upon  which  the  city  was  first  laid  out  was  con- 
tended for  by  a  Dr.  Spencer  and  Mr.  McCloud.  The  mat- 
ter was  finally  settled  by  Mr.  LeClaire  buying  them  both 
out ;  giving  them  for  the  quarter  section  one  hundred  and 
ffiy  dollars  !  A  splendid  illustration  is  this  sale  of  the 
immense  fortunes  made  in  the  "West,  by  politic  fore- 
thought, and  judicious  investment.  This  claim  laid  to  the 
"West  of  LeClaire's  Reserve — the  latter  terminating  at 
Harrison  street.  Below  this  street  the  city  was  first  laid 
out. 

Having  fenced  in  this  portion,  Mr.  LeClaire  cultivated 
it  until  it  was  sold  to  a  Company  in  1835.  In  the  Fall  of 
this  year  a  company  was  formed  for  the  purpose  of  pur- 
chasing and  laying  out  a  town  site.  They  met  at  the 
house  of  Col.  Davenport  on  Eock  Island  to  discuss  the 
matter.  The  following  gentlemen  Avere  present :  Maj. 
Wm.  Gordon,  Antoine  LeClaire,  Col.  Geo.  Davenport, 
Maj.  Thos.  Smith,  Alex.  McGregor,  Levi  S.  Colton,  and 
Philip  Hambaugh.  These  gentleman,  and  Capt.  James 
May,  then  in  Pittsburg,  composed  the  company  which  se- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  33 


cured  the  site,  and  set  in  motion  a  train  of  circumstances, 
whose  result  is,  a  beautiful  and  flourishing  city.  The  ne- 
cessity of  a  town  between  the  upper  and  lower  rapids — the 
unexampled  fertility  of  the  adjacent  country — the  mag- 
nificent beauty  of  the  location — its  freedom  from  malaria- 
breeding  marshes,  and  facilities  for  drainage,  the  propin- 
quity of  immense  opportunity  for  water  power,  were  reasons 
adduced  for  the  choice  of  the  location.  Well  did  they 
choose,  as  the  events  of  the  last  twenty  years  have  amply 
established.  In  the  Spring  of  the  next  year,  the  site  was 
surveyed  and  laid  out  by  Maj.  Gordon,  United  States 
Surveyor,  and  one  of  the  stockholders.  The  spot  selected 
included  the  area  bounded  on  the  East  by  Harrison  street, 
on  the  jSTorth  by  Seventh,  West  by  Warren,  and  South  by 
the  river.  It  included  thirty-six  blocks,  and  six  half-blocks 
— the  latter  being  the  portions  lying  adjacent  to  Warren, 
on  the  West. 

The  cost  of  the  entire  site  was  two  thousand  dollars — or 
two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  per  share — a  price  which  now 
would  purchase  but  a  very  indifferent  building-lot  in  the 
least  valued  part  of  it.  In  May  the  lots  were  oflered  at 
auction.  A  steamboat  came  up  from  St.  Louis  laden 
with  passengers  to  attend  the  sale,  and  remained  at  the 
levee  during  its  continuance,  in  order  to  afford  the  conve- 
niences of  lodging,  edibles,  and  the  not  less  essential  item 
of  drinkables.  The  sale  continued  two  days,  but  owing  to 
the  fact  that  the  titles  were  simply  such  as  were  included 
in  a  squatter's  claim — and  purchasers  fearful  that  such  were 
not  particularly  good — only  some  fifty  or  sixty  lots  were 
sold,  and  these  mostly  to  St.  Louis  speculators.  The  lots 
brought  from  ^300  to  ^600  each — a  smaller  sum  than  the 
proprietors  calculated  upon.  The  remaining  portion  of  the 
site  was  then  divided  among  the  proprietors. 

The  emigration  this  year  was  but  small — only  some  half 
dozen   families  coming  in.     The  first  Hotel  or  "tavern" 


34  DAVENPOET 


was  put  np  this  year,  and  opened  by  Edward  Powers  ;  and 
is  still  standing  on  the  corner  of  Front  street  and  l-Jipley. 
It  was  put  up  by  Messrs.  Davenport  and  LeClaire,  and  was 
called  "  Davenport  Hotel"— in  honor  of  the  "  city" — the 
latter  receiving  its  cognomen  from  Col.  Geo.  Davenport, 
who  long  previous  had  been  a  resident  of  the  Island,  In 
reo-ard  to  its  appearance,  nothing  need  be  said — all  here 
have  seen  or  can  see  it,  while  more  distant  readers  are 
doubtlessly  amply  informed  in  regard  to  the  appearance, 
character,  extent,  accommodations,  &c.,  of  pioneer  "hotels." 
The  next  most  prominent  evidence  of  im'provcment  was 
erected  the  same  year  by  an  old  sea  captain,  named  John 

Litch. 

It  was  that  vademecum  of  civilization — that  cotemporary, 
and  often  pioneer  of  church  and  school-house — a  drinking 
saloon.  It  was  a  log-shanty,  and  stood  on  Front  street, 
below  Western  Avenue.  It  was  long  a  favorite  resort  of 
the  politician  and  the  thirsty ;  and  not  a  few  grand  social 
schemes  and  political  intrigues  were  concocted  beneath 
the  genial  influence  of  the  suspiciously  genuine  liquids, 
vended  by  the  retired  and  afiable  "  Captain." 

There,  listening  to  the  numerous  reminiscences  of  Cap- 
tain Litch,  and  growing  balmy  under  his  genial  "punches" 
until  life  and  its  projects  were  roseate  as  the  cheek  of 
Dawn,  might  be  seen  daily  many  who  now  stand  deservedly 
among  our  first  citizens.  The  "Maine  Law"  then  lay 
unevolved  in  the  convolutions  of  Neal  Dow's  brain.  "  E'ot 
to  drink"  would  then  be  almost,  or  quite,  sufficient  to 
ostracise  any  man  from  a  desirable  social  standing;  and  he 
who  did  not  produce  the  bottle  and  glass  upon  the  advent 
of  a  visitor,  was  deemed  lacking  in  hospitality.  "  Take  a 
drink,"  entered  then  as  much  into  a  portion  of  social  econ- 
omy as  "  take  a  chair"  does  in  the  refinements  of  modern 
intercourse.  The  merchant  preceded  his  customer's  appli- 
cation by  the  proffer  of  a  "smile"— all  trades  were  pro- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT. 


35 


logued  and  finished  by  a  resort  to  an  imbibition — and  in 
short,  no  enterprise,  civil,  social,  religious,  political,  or 
otherwise,  could  well  be  inducted  or  concluded  without 
the  presence  of  a  third  party,  in  the  shape  of  a  dusky- 
visaged  Bottle. 

Janies  Mackintosh  opened  the  first  store,  in  the  latter 
part  of  October,  of  this  year;  his  stock  consisted  of  a  gen- 
eral assortment  of  Dry  Goods,  Groceries,  Hardware,  Pro- 
visions, &c.,  to  a  value  of  about  five  thousand  dollars  ;  com- 
menced business  in  a  log  house,  built  by  A,  LeClaire,  near 
the  U.  S.  House,  corner  of  Ripley  and  third  streets. 

In  December  D.  C.  Eldridge  also  opened  a  large  stock 
of  Goods.  Many  may  wonder  where  consumers  were  to 
be  found  for  a  "large  &tock  of  goods"  in  a  place  ot  less  than 
a  dozen  families.  It  will  much  astonish  such,  as  well  as 
many  others,  to  learn,  that  in  the  Spring  of  the  next  year 
(1837)  the  sum  total  of  daily  sales  averaged  one  hundred 
AND  FIFTY  DOLLARS,  of  wliich  thirty-three  percent,  was  ca^sh. 

This  apparent  discrepancy  of  sales  and  buyers  is  ex- 
plained, when  it  is  known  that  from  the  town  opi)osite,  and 
a  long  distance  up  and  down  the  river,  people  came  here 
to  trade. 

Lumber  was,  at  that  time,  brought  from  Cincinnati,  and 
almost  everything  else  from  a  distance.  Flour  at  sixteen 
dollars  per  barrel.  Pork  at  sixteen  cents  per  pound,  were 
brought  from  Cincinnati.  Corn  w^as  imported  from  the 
Wabash  River,  and  brought  two  dollars  per  bushel.  The 
farm  now  occupied  by  Mr.  McManus  was  bought  by  Dr. 
Hall,  and  paid  for  in  this  latter  commodity, — the  cost  of 
the  farm  was  five  hundred  bushels  of  corn.  The  Ferry 
also  dates  its  existence  from  this  year — it  being  a  flat-bot- 
tomed craft,  technically  termed  a  ''mud-boat."  This  in 
1841  was  superseded  by  an  immense  improvement  in  the 
shape  of  a  horse-boat — which  in  time  gave  way  to  steam 
— the  whole  being  crowned  by  the    two  magnificent  and 


36  DAVENPORT 


commodious  steamboats  constantly  employed  in  transfer- 
ring a  ^vide  deep  stream  of  freight  and  passengers  from 
fcliore  to  shore. 

Our  lady-readers  may,  perhaps,  be  interested  in  know- 
ing that  the  pioneer  in  conjugal  love,  cutting  teeth,  chicken 
pox,  and  baby  talk,  in  Davenport,  was  a  son  of  Mr.  L.  S. 
Colton,  who  first  looked  upon  the  light  in  the  Fall  of  this 
year.  The  feeble  wail  of  the  first  baby  in  Davenport  has 
been  echoed  not  a  few  times  since,  and  daily  grows  wider 
and  deeper  in  its  volume,  like  the  tiny  spring-streamlet, 
widening  eventually  into  a  broad  river. 

It  will  naturally  be  supposed  that  the  character  of  social 
life  was  in  some  sort  like  the  country — rather  destitute  of 
refinement.      A   gentleman   relates   a   circumstance    con- 
nected with  a  prominent  politician  of  this  State,   and  who 
has  had  the  honor  Irequently  of  saying  "  Mr.  Speaker"  in 
the   halls   of  JSTational  Legislation,    that  perhaps  was  the 
counterpart  of  a  thousand  others  of  the  time.     In  the  fall 
of  '35  this  gentleman,  while  passing  up  the  Mississippi  on 
a  prospecting  tour,  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  political 
gentleman  at  Burlington — where  the  latter  came  aboard 
the  boat.     He  was   at  that  time   candidate   for  territorial 
delegate  from  Wisconsin.     lie  had  scarcely  gotten  aboard 
before  he   ostentatiously   displayed  a  pair   of  pistols,  and 
which  he  occupied  himself  in  handling,  loading  and  fixing 
in  various   shapes,    at  intervals,   during  the   passage   to 
Galena.      Arriving   there,   he   solicited  our  informant   to 
land,  and  proceed  with  him  to  the  hotel.     With   his   wife 
leaning  upon  his  arm,  the  latter,  followed  closely  in  the 
•wake  of  the  candidate  for  Congressional  honors.     As  they 
reached  the  door  of  the  stopping  place,  the  opposition  can- 
didate happened  to  step  out  to  the  threshold.     Our  political 
hero  confronted  him  in  an  instant,  and  as  he  drew  both 
his  pistols,  he  remarked,  without  preface — 

"You  are  a  G d bully,  sir!     Take  your  choice!" 

The  other,  however,  declined  a  choice  of  the  extended 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  37 

pistol-butts,  and  "made  himself  scarce."  Both,  however, 
relievd  their  irate  tendencies,  soon  after,  by  a  street  fight, 
at  Mineral  Point,  in  which  neither  suffered  according  to 
the  extent  of  the  wishes  of  his  antagonist.  The  effect  upon 
our  informant,  and  especially  upon  his  wife,  may  easily  be 
imagined.  It  may,  however,  be  well  to  state,  that  the 
political  gentleman  alluded  to  is  everywhere  known  for 
his  courtesy  and  gentlemanly  urbanity  in  every  phase  of 
his  social  life. 

The  first  law  office  in  town  was  opened  by  A.  McGregor, 
Esquire,  in  April. 

The  first  Religious  discourse  was  delivered  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Gavitt,  a  methodist,  in  the  Spring,  in  the  house  of  D.  C. 
Eldridge.  Preaching  from  an  Episcopalian  the  same 
Spring. 

Religious  services  were  held  semi-occasionally  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  LeClaire,  in  which  a  priest  from  Galena 
officiated.  For  other  amusements,  our  settlers  had  at  this 
period,  besides  preachers,  steamboat  arrivals,  which  every 
body  went  down  to  see,  horse  racing  at  the  upper  end  of 
the  present  site  of  the  city,  which  all,  from  the  car- 
penter on  the  roof,  to  the  merchant  behind  the  counter, 
left  to  witness;  sleigh-rides  to  the  neighboring  places,  follow- 
ed by  a  dance,  to  which  all  went;  balls  at  home,  and  wolf 
hunts.  There  was  then  quite  as  much,  or  more,  positive 
enjoyment  than  now,  for  the  reason  that  social  caste  was 
not  there  recognized,  and  all  went  in  simply  for  enjoyment. 

The  pioneer  ball  was  held  in  Mr.  LeClaire's  house,  Jan. 
8,  1836.  Some  forty  couples  were  present,  consisting  of 
frontiersmen,  officers  from  the  Island,  and  others.  The 
music  was  furnished  by  fiddles,  from  which  no  contempti- 
ble strains  were  occasionally  drawn  by  Mr.  LeClaire  him- 
self. Prominent  among  the  merry  dancers  were  G.  C.  R. 
Mitchell,  A.  McGregor,  G.  L.  Davenport,  Joe  Conway,  and 
last  but  not  least,  and  by  far  the  lightest  dancer  in  the 
room,   the  now  portly  figure  of  A.   LeClaire.     Most  of 


O^^i^'^j'VOi 


DAVENPORT 


the  frontiersmen  wore  the  coarsest  species  of"  stogy  boots," 
"making"  as  our  informant  says,"a  most  infernal  clatter." 
The  dresses  of  the  ladies  were  generally  rather  more  calcu- 
lated to  promote  comfort  than  ostentation.  The  party 
danced  till  sunrise,  and  then  broke  up — the  gentlemen 
being,  as  a  general  thing,  as  genial  as  all  the  "  punches" 
they  could  possibly  contain,  would  make  them.  Joe  Con- 
way, eccentric  in  his  cups  as  well  as  his  actions,  upon 
reaching  the  ice  to  cross  the  river,  found  himself  unable  to 
either  stand  still  or  walk — he  very  ingeniously,  therefore, 
compromised  the  matter  by  striking  a  sinuous  and  uncer- 
tain "dog-trot"  and  heading  for  all  points  of  the  Island 
miscellaneously.  It  is  mistily  believed  by  his  companions 
that  he  succeeded  in  reaching  it — although  somewhat  out 
of  his  original  bearings. 

In  the  Fall  of  this  year,  Rockingham — a  now  deserted 
locality  some  few  miles  down  the  river — was  laid  out  by 
a  company,  among  whom  were  Gen.  Sargent,  Ebenezer 
Cook,  Dr.  Barrows,  and  others,  of  our  now  prominent  cit- 
izens. It  was  thought  a  good  locality,  for  the  reason  that 
it  was  opposite  the  embouchure  of  Rock  Eiver,  which  was 
supposed  to  be  navigable.  Gen.  Sargent  states  that  he 
once  ascended  it  in  a  steamboat  to  the  distance  of  two 
hundred  and  ten  miles ;  and  hence  it  was  very  reasonably 
supposed  that  an  important  junction  might  be  formed  with 
interior  towns,  and  a  heavy  trade  thereby  supported. 

At  the  time  of  the  purchase  of  the  13 lack  Hawk  dis- 
trict, it  was  placed  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Michigan. 

In  1836,  "Wisconsin  was  organized,  arud  by  an  act  of  the 
Legislature  (which  met  for  the  first  time  at  Belmont,)  the 
"Black  Hawk  Purchase"  was  divided  into  two  counties.  A 
line  beginning  at  Rock  Island,  and  extending  west  to  the 
Missouri  River,  divided  them — the  north  one  was  called 
Julien  Township,  and  Dubuque  county,  the  south  one 
Flint  Hill  Township,  and  Des  Moines  county.  The  county 
seat  of  the  former  was  located  at  Dubuque.     Davenport 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  39 


was  in  the  latter  jurisdiction.  Soon  after  tlie  District  was 
divided  into  counties,  at  which  time  commenced  a  notable 
spirited  contest  between  Davenport  and  Eockinham  for 
possession  of  the  county  seat.  Of  this  we  shall  speak  in 
its  proper  place. 

In  the  Summer  of  this  year,  Mr.  A.  LeClaire  was  ap- 
pointed P.  M.  Mails  came  once  each  week  from  the  East, 
via  Chicago ;  and  once  in  two  weeks  from  Dubuqiie  via  Dav- 
enport to  Fort  De  Moine,  (now  Montrose).  Postage  at  that 
time  was  twenty- five  cents.  The  P.  M.  used  to  carry  the  mail 
across  the  river  in  his  pocket ;  and  his  percentage  for  the  first 
three  months  was  secenty-five  ce7its !  The  present  P.  M., 
with  his  two  thousand  boxes,  and  half  dozen  assistants,  will 
easily  recognize  the  difference.  The  mortality  this  year 
amounted  to  seven — the  first  of  whom  was  Mrs.  Tanney- 
hill. 

In  September,  a  treaty  was  held  at  East  Davenport  be- 
tween Gov,  Dodge,  U.  S.  Commissioner,  and  the  Sacs  and 
Foxes.  The  object  of  the  treaty  was  to  secure  possession 
of  the  land  bordering  on  Iowa  River,  and  known  as  "  Keo- 
kuk's Reserve."  About  a  thousand  chiefs  and  warriors 
■were  present,  and  were  encamped  during  the  time  just 
above  Renwick's  mill. 

The  land  in  question  amounted  to  256,000  acres,  and 
was  purchased  for  seventy-five  cents  per  acre,  or  $192,000 
— a  very  liberal  price  compared  to  what  Government  had 
heretofore  paid,  but  "  dog  cheap"  when  we  consider  that 
in  less  than  a  year  every  foot  of  it  was  disposed  of  at  ten 
shillings  per  acre. 

Catlin,  in  his  "Korth  American  Indians"  thus  notices 
this  affair : 

"The  treaty  itself,  in  all  its  forms,  was  a  scene  of  interest, 
and  Keokuk  was  the  principal  speaker  on  the  occasion,  being 
recognized  as  the  head  chief  of  the  tribe,  lie  is  a  very 
subtle  and  dignified  man,  and  well  fitted  to  wield  the  des- 


40  DAVENPORT 


tiiiies  of  his  nation.  The  poor  dethroned  monarch,  old 
BL^ck  Hawk,  was  present,  and  looked  an  object  of  pity. 
With  an  old  frock  coat  and  brown  hat  on,  and  a  cane  in 
his  hand,  he  stood  the  whole  time  outside  of  the  group, 
and  in  dumb  and  dismal  silence,  with  his  sons  by  his  side, 
and  also  his  quondam,  aid-de-camp  Nahpope,  and  the 
Prophet.  They  were  not  allowed  to  speak,  nor  even  sign 
the  Treaty.  Nahpope  rose,  however,  and  commenced  a  very 
earnest  speech  on  the  subject  of  temperance!  but  Gov. 
Dodge  ordered  him  to  sit  down,  (as  being  out  of  order,) 
which  probably  saved  him  from  a  much  more  iperemptory 
command  from  Keokuk,  who  was  rising  at  that  moment 
with  looks  on  his  face  that  the  Devil  might  shrink  from." 

The  two  tribes  staid  here  nearly  a  fortnight,  amusing 
themselves  and  others  with  characteristic  games  and  dances. 
One  amusement  was  "  smoking  horses."  A  party  of 
loiuays  came  at  the  time,  and  wanted  some  horses  of  the 
Sacs  and  Foxes.  Such  of  the  latter  as  had  horses  to  give 
away,  mounted  them,  and  commenced  riding  at  full  speed 
around  the  loways — then  suddenly  wheeling  woukl  en- 
deavor to  ride  straight  through  them,  which  was  prevented 
by  using  small  switches  against  the  faces  of  the  horses. 
After  riding  a  half  hour  or  so,  a  Sac  rider  would  call  to  an 
loway  to  stand  out,  and  then  passing  him  at  full  speed,  he 
would  bring  upon  the  naked  back  of  the  other,  with  the 
full  force  of  his  arm,  a  heavy  whip  of  plaited  rawhide, 
raisino"  a  "welt"  as  thick  as  one's  finger.  Then  immedi- 
ately dismounting,  he  would  place  the  bridle  in  the  hands 
of  the  yelling  victim,  who  was  thereafter  the  owner  of  the 
horse.  This  ludicrous  operation  excited  much  sport  among 
the  spectators.  It  was  a  common  custom  among  the  Sacs 
and  Foxes,  and  some  other  nations — the  compliment  being 
from  time  to  time  interchanged. 

This  Treaty  was  the  last  ever  held  in  this  vicinity. 

There  were  seven  houses  in  the  old  town  limits  at  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  41 


close  of  the  year.  Log  house  of  Capt.  Litch,  ditto  of  L.  S. 
Cotton,  ferryman;  frame  dwelling  partly  finished,  and 
owned  by  a  Mr.  Shoals.  It  has  been  since  known  as  the 
"Dillon  House,"  {of  wJdch  a  gentleman  sirice  Governor  of  the 
State  was  once  hostler).  Log  House  of  James  0 'Kelly — (a 
tailor  from  Detroit,  Mich.) — used  by  James  Mcintosh  as 
storehouse;  log  house  of  Wm.  Allen,  used  for  P.  O.  ;  frame 
building,  known  as  Davenport  Hotel,  and  after  as  United 
States  Hotel ;  log  house  used  by  D.  C.  Eldredge  as  store. 
All  these  stand  yet,  except  Dillon's  and  Litch's. 

The  events  narrated  above  are  the  prominent  ones  of 
1836.  The  year  closed  with  a  population  of  less  than  one 
hundred.  Stephenson,  (now  Rock  Island,)  which  had  been 
laid  out  in  1834,  possessed  at  this  time  a  population  of 
nearly  five  hundred. 


42  DAVENPOKT 


CHAPTER    V. 

Inilian  Duel — Col.  Taylor's  Defeat  in  1820 — Fight  between  Sacs  and  Foxes 
and  Pottowatomies — Burial  of  the  Slain — Opening  of  River — First  Mar- 
riage— Getty's  Flouring  Mill — Ferry  Company — Jumping  Claims — Intruder 
Expelled — Thrashing  an  Indian — Sacs  and  Foxes — Sioux  Horse  Thieves — 
Visit  to  Washington — Murder  of  an  Indian  at  Moscow — Escape  of  Murderer 
— Population — Scott  County  Organized — Elections. 

In  tlie  Spring  of  '37,  the  first  duel  "  on  record,"  in  Iowa, 
was  fought  between  a  couple  of  Winnebago  Indians.  A 
party  of  the  tribe  was  here  fishing,  and  encamped  on 
Rock  Island.  A  couple  of  young  men  were  carousing  at 
Stephenson,  and,  in  a  little  while,  commenced  quarreling. 
The  blow  was  passed.  Too  refined,  by  their  intercourse 
with  the  whites,  to  avenge  the  blow  with  knife  or  tom- 
ahawk, they  resorted  to  the  code  of  honor.  Unfortunately 
for  one  of  them,  the  choice  of  weapons  was  not  fully  up  to 
the  prevailing  principles  of  the  code  duello.  One  had  a 
shot  gun,  the  other  wisely  took  the  rifle.  On  the  willow 
island,  below  the  city,  they  drew  up  the  required  distance, 
and  blazed  away.  The  heavy  lead  of  the  cracking  rifle 
was  "too  much"  for  the  lighter  pellets  of  its  more  noisy 
brother — the  Shot  Gun.  The  shot  gun  and  its  holder  went 
down,  and  the  latter  was  buried  not  far  from  the  grave 
yard  below  the  city,  and  upon  the  banks  of  the  noble  Mis- 
sissippi, whose  everlasting  voices  hymned  his  advent  to  the 
Spirit  Land. 

The  Rifle  hero  fled  to  his  home  in  Rock  River  country. 
But  vengeance  overtook  him  even  there.     The  friends  and 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  43 


relations  of  the  slain  clamored  for  the  blood  of  tlie  slayer 
— and  the  sister  of  the  latter  went  for  the  survivor.  She 
found  him — entreated  him  to  come  back  to  Kock  Island, 
and  be  killed,  to  appease  the  wrathful  manes  of  the  de- 
parted. Such  logic  was  irresistable — he  came — -and  in  a 
canoe  paddled  by  his  own  sister,  he  reached  the  Island, 
singing  his  death  song.  A  shallbw  grave  was  dug,  and 
kneeling  upon  its  brink,  his  body  tumbled  into  it,  and  his 
death  song  was  hushed  as  the  greedy  knives  of  his  execu- 
tioners drank  the  blood  of  his  brave  heart.  Can  the  white 
man  show  a  nobler  act  than  this,  among  all  his  bravest 
deeds  in  the  arena  of  the  duellist.  The  chiaro  oscuro  of 
Spartan  deeds  presents  no  more  beautiful  blending  of  hero- 
ism and  duty  than  this — nay,  verily. 

This  same  "Willow  Island,  whereupon  the  shot  gun  hero 
bit  the  dust,  is  also  memorable  as  being  a  spot  upon  which 
the   immortal  "  Rough  and  Ready"  once   received,   what 
Santa  Anna  ever  failed  to  give  him,  namely,  a  military 
thrashing.     In  1812,  Col.  Taylor,  with  two  companies  of 
Regulars,  and  accompanied  by  a  Captain  Rector,  with  two 
or  three  companies  of  Rangers,  was  proceeding  down  the 
river.     The  Indians,  knowing  his  approach,  had,  under  the 
superintendence  of  a  Mr.  Graham,  (a  man  well  known  by 
many    of  our  citizens,)  fixed  a  small  cannon  among    the 
sand  hills,  on  the  Illinois  side,  which  they  brought  to  bear 
most  effectually  upon  the  boats.     The  latter,  galled  by  the 
fire,  steered  for  the  Island,  but  here  they  were  assailed  by 
a  volley  from  an  ambuscade.     They  resolved  to  land  and 
clear  the  Island.     Rector,  and  his  rangers,  sprang  ashore, 
and  each  man  took  "  cover"  to  fight  the  Indians  in  their 
own   style.      Taylor  landed,  and  formed  his  men  imme- 
diately in  line  to  charge  bayonets  !     The  thick  growth  of  wil- 
lows would  hardly  admit  a  musket,  much  less  a  company, 
formed   in  line  to   charge.      The   serried  lines   formed   a 
splendid  target  for  the  concealed  copper-skins,  and  they 


44  DAVENPORT 


were  not  tardy  in  availing  themselves  of  the  opportunity. 
To  "cover"  was  not  in  the  manuel — to  "about  face,"  and 
"  quick  time,  march  !"  to  the  boats,  was,  and  in  the  next 
minute,  Taylor  and  his  regulars,  were  shooting  down  the 
Mississippi  as  fast  as  stout  oars  and  lusty  "elbow-grease" 
could  carry  them.  The  rage  of  Capt.  Rector,  when  he  saw 
Col.  Taylor  "countermarching"  on  his  own  advance,  was 
boundless — his  first  resolution  was  to  order  his  men  to  fire 
upon  the  regulars,  who  were  executing  such  a  "  masterly 
retreat"  down  the  river,  but  the  necessity  of  saving  his 
lead  for  the  Indians  restrained  him.  If  Col.  Taylor  after- 
wards earned  the  bays  at  Buena  Vista  and  Monterey,  he 
certainly  could  claim  no  more  than  the  willow  in  his  at- 
tempt to  charge  bayonets  in  line  upon  an  ambuscade  of 
Indians  on  Willow  Island. 

In  the  Spring  of  this  year  a  party  of  Sacs  and  Foxes,  and 
another  of  Pottowatomie's  were  engaged  in  fishing,  and 
were  encamped  in  the  "hollow"  below  Cannon's  Mills.  A 
keg  of  whisky  induced  a  row,  and  the  long  knives  of  the 
belligerants  soon  settled  it.  Some  dozen  or  more  were  en- 
gaged in  the  fight;  and  its  expense  was  an  unlimited 
quantity  of  ugly  cuts,  and  two  breathless  braves.  Face  to 
face  the  two  implacables  were  seated  in  the  same  grave, 
and  the  ground  piled  about  them  to  the  height  of  their 
waists,  leaving  their  bodies,  and  ghastly  visages,  to  front 
each  other  defiantly,  and  to  j^resent  a  spectacle  less  seemly 
than  characteristic  of  the  Indian.  Enemies  in  life,  they 
rotted  as  lovingly  in  death,  as  brothers,  and  the  ghastly 
grin  which  came  upon  one's  fleshless  jaws  was  imitated  by 
the  other,  till  the  w^hilom  foes  seemed  to  find  in  each 
other's  lineaments  some  horrible  provocative  to  jollity. 

Some  considerable  alarm  was  felt  at  the  time  by  the  cit- 
izens, as  the  Indians,  maddened  by  blood  and  whisky,  went 
yelling  through  the  streets,  and  a  messenger  was  despatched 


PAST  AND  PKESENT.  45 


to  Montrose  for  assistance.     The  Indians,  however,  quieted 
down  without  doing  further  damage. 

The  river  which  had  closed  the  20th  December  the 
winter  previous,  opened  March  23d,  of  1837,  and  a  steam- 
boat came  up  the  same  day. 

The  first  case  of  matrimony,  on  record,  occurred  in 
the  Spring.  The  happy  couple  who  first  "led  oft*"  the 
vast  hymenial  dance,  and  pioneered  the  long  array  of 
wedding  favors,  bliss,  and  incipient  heaven,  was  a  Mr. 
"Wm.  B.  Watts,  and  a  niece  of  Antoine  LeClaire.  It  may 
not  be  the  best  of  logic,  but  still  without  a  "first  couple" 
there  could  be  no  second,  or  third,  or  any  others — hence 
all  who  have  married  since,  or  who  may  hereafter,  owe  no 
small  debt  of  gratitude  to  Mr.  "Watts  and  lady.  Why 
should  not  the  day  of  their  marriage  be  marked  in  the 
calendar  as  a  Golden  one — and  be  set  apart  as  a  day  to 
be  crowned  with  orange  blossoms,  and  sacred  to  the  wor- 
ship of  Eros  ?  The  suggestion  is  not  a  studied  one — still  it 
is  none  the  less  worthy  of  the  profound  consideration  of 
all  that  vast  crowd  who  since  have  gone  to  that  matrimo- 
nial bourne  "whence  no  man  returns" — a  bachelor. 

Mr.  Watts,  alluded  to  above,  as  is  learned  from  a  little 
reminiscence,  experienced  the  truth  of  the  idea,  that  lovers 
endure  much  tribulation.  While  "doina^"  the  as-reeable 
operation  of  courting,  he  met  with  a  mishap,  as  unexpected 
as  it  was  distressing  and  ludicrous.  At  the  time,  a  Yankee 
teamster  was  employed  by  Mr.  LeClaire,  who  experienced 
a  variety  of  those  soft,  half-angelic  and  half-devilish  feel- 
ings, yclept  love,  towards  the  lady  whom  Mr.  Watts  after 
married — and  with  his  love  there  came  jealousy  toward  his 
rival.  With  the  latter's  success,  he  grew  revengeful ;  and. 
diabolical,  doubtless,  were  the  schemes  he  devised,  and 
the  torments  he  inflicted,  in  imagination,  upon  his  fortu- 
nate antagonist.  One  night  Mr.  Watts  was  spending  the 
evening  with  the  lady.    The  Yankee  could  contain  his  burst- 


4^  DAVENPORT 


ing  indignation  no  longer — andlie  shaved  the  tailofWatt's 
horse  as  smooth  and  naked  as  a  roll  of  sausage  !  The  in- 
decorous appearance  of  his  steed's  caudal  prolongation — 
his  entire  unwillingness  to  bestride  such  an  institution, 
ma}'  well  be  imagined.  The  transition  from  the  low- 
whispered  love-tales  of  the  parlor  to  the  clean-shaved  tail 
of  his  steed,  which,  as  Byron  says,  "  glittered  in  bony 
whiteness,  there," — from  the  "  airy  nothings"  of  one  to  the 
nothing  hairij  of  the  other — was  entirely  too  sudden,  and 
too  vivid  in  its  contrasts,  to  afford  much  else  than  exple- 
tives more  profane  than  elegant. 

While  hoping  that  his  happiness  may  descend  upon  all, 
who,  like  him,  are  disposed  to  matrimony,  yet  let  us  wish 
that  his  mishaps  will  not  also  be  en-tailed  upon  his  suc- 
cessors. 

The  graceful  misses  of  ripe  twent}",  and  younger,  whose 
origin  is  proudly  claimed  by  Davenport,  will  be  pleased  to 
learn  that  the  predecessor  of  their  sex  in  the  dim-remem- 
bered mysteries  of  being  born,  was  a  daughter  of  D.  C. 
Eldredge,  who  pioneered  her  sex  in  May  of  this  year.  It 
is  a  pleasure  to  add,  that  she  "  still  lives"  to  enjoy  the  honor 
of  having  preceded  the  hosts  of  fair  flowers  which,  in  con- 
nection with  not  a  few  exotics,  give  grace  and  beauty  to 
the  magnificent  parterre  of  our  goodly  city. 

The  same  gentleman  who  introduced  the  '•  first  daughter" 
also  introduced  the  first  flouring  mill,  one  of  "Getty's 
Patent  Metallic  Mills."  It  was  somewhat  larger  than  a 
coffee  mill,  and,  as  our  informant  states,  "  the  motive- 
power  was  horse-flesh,  and  it  was  engineered  b}'^  an  Irish- 
man, a  discharged  soldier  from  the  Fort,  who  was  known, 
and  will  be  remembered  by  all  old  settlers  as  "Joe  Topin." 
Poor  Joe  has  gone  !  a  victim  to  misplaced  confidence  in  a 
whisky  jug  !" 

The  present  well-known  and  powerful  Ferry  Company 
dates  its  origin  to  this   Spring — although  not  in  its  present 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  47 


corporate  character.  John  Wilson  bought  out  Mr.  LeClaire 
for  one  thousand  dollars,  and,  until  1839,  teams,  &c.,  were 
transported  in  a  flat  boat. 

Dr.  A.  E.  Donaldson,  from  Pennsylvania,  came  in  July 
of  this  year,  and  was,  it  is  said,  the  first  resident  physician. 
His  successors,  in  the  short  space  of  twenty  years,  have 
increased,  if  not  by  legions,  at  least  fully  in  proportion  to 
the  demand. 

There  was  no  lack  of  sociability  among  the  Indians  at 
this  time.  Parties  would  come  in  from  the  territory,  en- 
camp near  the  town,  and  spend  a  few  days  in  lounging  and 
drinking  whisky,  then  would  leave,^and  their  place  be  sup- 
plied by  others.  That  the  Indian  sometimes  descends 
from  his  sublime  stoicism  to  a  vulgar  curiosity,  is  illus- 
trated in  a  case  related  by  Mr.  Eldredge.  Having  sickness 
in  his  family,  it  was  necessary  to  keep  a  light  burning  all 
night.  Indians  straggling  about  late,  to  yell,  dance,  and 
walk  off  the  eflfects^of  "fire-water,"  would  be  struck  with 
the  phenomenon  of  a  light  at  such  a  time  of  night,  and  pro- 
portionally anxious  to  ascertain  its  cause ;  mingled,  no 
doubt,  with  a  little  very  natural  curiosity  in  regard  to  the 
night-arrangement  of  a  white  man's  bed  room.  Hearing  a 
noise  at  the  window,  one  evening,  Mr.  Eldredge  stole  noise- 
lessly out  at  the  back  door,  and  passed  around  to  the  front, 
with  a  stout  splinter  of  board  in  his  hand.  There  stood  a 
"son  of  the  forest,"  upon  tip-toe,  peering  over  the  window 
curtain,  and  undoubtedly  cogitating  upon  the  superior  ap- 
pearance of  a  "  white  squaw"  eyi  chemisette.  A  stinging 
pain  upon  a  part  just  below  his  wampum  belt  was  the  first 
intimation  he  received  of  the  indecorousness  of  his  pro- 
ceeding ;  while  a  succession  of  rapid  blows,  to  which  he 
performed  an  impromptu  dance,  not  laid  down  in  the  sal- 
tatory code  of  the  Indian,  and  to  which  he  yelled  an  ap- 
propriate accompaniment,  convinced  him  also  that  every 
sweet  has  its  bitter.     He  made  threats  after,  of  depriving 


48  DAVENPORT 


his  castigator  of  his  "har" — but  tlie  latter  sta.id  at  home 
for  a  few  nights,  and  the  Indian  left,  doubtless,  well  as- 
sured of  the  fact,  that  at  bottom  there  is  no  real  enjoyment 
in  the  satisfaction  of  that  squaw-ish  trait,  curiosity. 

In  September,  a  party  of  Sacs  and  Foxes  came  in  to  re- 
ceive the  last  annuity,  which  was  paid  them  at  Rock  Island 
— Gen.  Street,  the  Government  agent,  soon  after  removing 
to  Racoon  Forks,  now  Fort  Des  Moines.  "While  they  were 
here,  some  of  their  scouts  brought  in  word  that  a  body  of 
Sioux  were  in  the  "Timber,"  a  place  now  occupied  by 
Oakdale  Cemetery.  Their  design  was,  undoubtedly,  to 
wait  until  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  had  received  their  usual 
annuity,  and  were  oblivious  in  the  "  big  drunk"  which  gen- 
erally succeeded  these  payments,  and  then  to  steal  their 
horses.  They  failed,  however,  for  scarcely  had  the  scouts 
reported  their  presence,  before  three  hundred  Sac  and 
Fox  braves  had  streaked  themselves  -with  war-paint,  and 
followed  by  half  the  white  population,  were  in  their  saddles, 
and  after  the  Sioux.  The  Dacotahs  (as  the  Sacs  and  Foxes 
termed  the  Sioux,)  received  notice  of  the  approach  of  their 
intended  prey,  and  seasonably  decamped — thereby  preserv- 
ing intact  not  a  few  of  that  valuable  and  highly  ornamental 
article — their  scalps. 

Old  settlers  recalling  this  occasion  speak  enthusiastically 
of  Keokuk's  eloquence — he  having  delivered  a  speech  of 
some  three  hours  in  length,  in  which  there  was  not  a  sin- 
gle repetition.  "When  one  considers  that  the  Chief  spoke 
almost  with  the  velocity  of  lightning,  it  is  inferable  that 
his  mental  reservoir  was  neither  shallow  nor  indifferently 
well  filled. 

Keokuk's  eloquence  on  this  occasion  arose  from  the  fact 
that  Government  had  sent  out  one  half  their  annuities  in 
goods — instead  of  money — as  was  stipulated  in  the  Treaty. 
The  Indians  very  indignantly  refused  to  receive  them,  and 
in  consequence  of  this,  and  also  in  order  to  settle  some 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  49 


difficulty  witli  the  Sioux,  a  large  party  of  Sacs  and  Foxes, 
Whites  and  Sioux,  went  on  to  Washington.  While  in 
"Washington  a  "grand  talk"  was  held,  in  which  the  Sioux 
and  Sacs  and  Foxes  detailed  their  grievances.  A  Sioux 
chief  remarked  in  his  speech  that  "  it  was  no  use  talking 
to  the  Sacs  and  Foxes — they  were  deaf — their  ears  should 
be  bored  out  with  a  stick!"  Keokuk  listened  to  the  Sioux 
Brave,  while  every  vein  and  muscle  swelled  under  his 
taunts  almost  to  bursting.  When  the  latter  concluded 
he  rose,  and  with  his  spear  (his  insignia  of  office,)  in  his 
hand,  he  said  : 

"  It  is  useless  to  bore  out  the  ears  of  the  Sioux  with  a 
stick — their  skulls  are  too  thick.  They  can  only  be  bored 
out  with  this  !"  and  the  indignant  Brave  shook  his  iron- 
headed  spear  fiercely  in  the  face  of  the  scowling  Sioux. 

After  the  return  from  Washington,  Mr.  LeClaire,  G.  L. 
Davenport,  and  others,  started  to  "  haul"  out  the  goods 
which  the  Indians  had  refused,  and  which  Government  had 
decided  to  present  to  the  Indians.  They  started  for  Mos- 
cow, (then  a  trading  Station,)  in  Cedar  county,  and  on  the 
route  met  an  Indian,  who  was  on  his  way  to  Rock  Island, 
to  complain  that  one  of  his  tribe  had  been  murdered  at 
Moscow  by  a  White.  Mr.  LeClaire  sent  a  man  with  him, 
and  the  remainder  pushed  on  to  Moscow.  When  they  ar- 
rived, they  learned  the  circumstances  of  the  murder.  A 
party  of  Indians  had  been  dancing  and  drinking  at  a 
whisky  shop  in  Moscow,  during  which,  a  couple  of  white 
men  in  amusing  their  refined  propensities,  had  been 
betting  which  could  JaioeJc  a  drunken  Indian  the  farthest. 
One  would  induce  an  Indian  to  approach,  by  holding  out 
some  whisky,  and  when  he  approached  the  bait  the  other 
would  strike  him,  and  mark  the  distance  at  which  he  fell. 
Then  the  other  empiric  would  try  the  force  of  his  flexors 
and  extensors,  by  changing  places,  and  knocking  the  next 
Indian  who  came  up  for  the  whisky.  The  Indians,  natural- 
7 


50  DAVENPORT 


]y  enough,  grew  enraged  at  such  treatment,  and  a  row  en- 
sued. JDuring  the  excitement,  the  stove-pipe  was  knocked 
down,  which  so  enraged  one  of  the  whites,  that  he  struck 
one  of  the  Indians,  and  fractured  his  skull,  and  continued 
his  action  by  kicking  the  Indian  out  doors,  and  then  con- 
cluded his  humane  operations  by  punching  the  insensible 
body  with  a  rail ! 

G.  C.  R.  Mitchell  was  sent  for,  the  body  of  the  murdered 
brave  was  exhumed,  an  examination  had,  and  an  effort 
made  to  convict  the  pale-faced  murderer.  Moscow  was,  at 
that  time,  a  rallying  point  for  thieves,  counterfeiters,  and 
rogues  generally — the  accused  sent  around  for  his  friends, 
and,  on  the  day  of  examination,  some  sixty  of  his  friends — 
a  ruffianly,  God-forsaken  crowd,  were  present.  The  justice 
did  not  dare  to  convict  him — he  Avas  released  on  straw- 
bail,  and  was  afterwards  acquitted  at  Dubuque,  as  hanging 
a  white  man  for  the  simple  offence  of  murdering  an  Indian 
did  not  enter  the  ethics  of  the  age. 

After  his  trial  he  returned  to  Moscow,  and  sent  for  the 
relatives"  of  the  murdered  Indian — promising  to  pay  them 
the  usual  satisfaction.  They  came,  and  agreed  to  accept  a 
certain  number  of  horses  as  satisfaction,  which  were  to  be 
paid  on  a  certain  day.  The  day  came,  as  did.  the  Indians, 
but  the  treacherous  creditor,  with  his  family,  had  fled  to 
Illinois  !  Filled  with  disappointment,  the  Indians,  on  their 
return  from  Cedar  River,  met,  on  their  trail,  an  inoffensive 

Methodist,   itenerant,    preacher,    named whom 

they  unmercifully  sacrificed,  to  appease  the  manes  of 
their  slaughtered  brother.  The  thinking  reader  will 
duly  consider  the  morality  of  the  actors  in  this  anecdote. 
Moralization  is  perfectly  useless. 

In  October  a  notable  case  of  trover  occurred.  It  was  the 
first  trouble  of  note  among  the  squatters,  and  it  involved 
the  last  act  of  moment  of  the  judicial  proceedings  of 
Dubuque  county.     Maj.  Wilson  had  a  claim,  (which  he  was 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  51 


holding  for  Messrs.  Davenport  and  LeClaire,)  upon  the 
ground  now  occupied  by  Mount  Ida  Female  College,  which 
was  "jumped"  by  a  man  from  Stephenson,  named  Stephens. 
Sheriff  Cummings  was  sent  for  from  Dubuque  to  oust  the 
intruder,  and  with  a  posse  of  some  fifty  men,  (about  all  in 
Davenport,)  he  proceeded  to  the  spot,  and  ordered  the  gen- 
tleman to  vacate. 

But  Mr.  Stephens,  either  enjoying  the  superlative  beauty 
of  the  prospect — or  foreseeing  the  stately  edifice  which 
would,  in  time,  arise  upon  the  spot,  or  else  actuated  by 
simple  mulishness,  very  firmly,  not  to  say  impolitely  and 
profanely,  refused  to  comply — threatening  dire  vengeance 
upon  the  first  who  should  touch  him,  with  divers  tire-arms 
and  bowie-knives,  with  which  he  had  fortified  his  position. 
Sheriff  Cummings,  however,  proved  himself  equal  to  the 
trying  emergency,  for,  sending  for  a  yoke  of  oxen,  and  a 
strong  chain,  he  proceeded  to  put  in  practice  a  new  theory 
of  expulsion.  The  chain  was  fastened  to  a  corner  log,  the 
cattle  started,  and,  in  a  remarkably  brief  space  of  time, 
Mr.  Stephens  bolted  out  to  prevent  the  consequence  which 
might  happen  from  falling  timbers.  He  was  shown  imme- 
diately the  most  direct  route  to  Stephenson,  of  which  in- 
formation he  availed  himself  forthwith,  and  gave  up,  there- 
after, the  precarious  employment  of  jumping  claims  in 
Davenport. 

The  posse  which  assisted  Sheriff  Camming,  at  this  time, 
was  a  portion  of  a  Confederation,  which  was  com- 
posed of  the  inhabitants,  generally,  of  Davenport,  Rock- 
ingham, and  adjacent  settlements.  It  was  organized  March, 
'37,  had  regular  laws,  officers,  &c.,  and  was  intended  for 
the  regulation  of  Claims,  and  the  settlement  of  disputes 
connected  therewith.  One  of  its  laws  provided  that  no 
man  could  hold  more  than  half  a  section  of  land.  A  book 
was  kept,  in  which  every  member  registered  his  claim,  his 
name,  the  locality  of  his  claim,  and  with  the  addition  of 


52  DAVENPORT 


one  dollar,  as  initiation  fee,  he  was  entitled  to  all  the  hen- 
efits  and  protection  of  the  society. 

The  first  Brick  Yard  was  constructed,  this  year  under  the 
auspices  and  ownership  of  our  present  worthy  Sheriff — 
Harvey  II.  Leonard. 

The  religious  services  this  year,  and  for  some  year  or 
two  after,  were  among  Protestants,  held  in  one  place — a 
house  belonging  to  D.  C.  Eldredge.  Occasional  services 
were  held  there  by  Clergymen  from  the  Methodists,  Pres- 
byterian, Disciples,  Congregational,  and,  at  longer  inter- 
vals, from  the  Episcopalian.  Everybody  attended  these 
services,  for  the  various  denominations  had,  as  yet,  assumed 
no  individuality.  It  cannot  be  stated,  with  certainty, 
whether  a  proportional  fructification  followed  these  labors, 
yet  good  influences  were  probably  disseminated,  which 
time,  sooner  or  later,  practically  developed. 

The  population  at  the  close  of  this  year  was  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty — six  new  houses  had  been  erected,  on 
the  new  site,  making  in  all  fifteen.  The  River  did  not 
close  until  February  13th,  of  1838 — a  day  or  two  before 
the  memorable  election  for  county  seat. 

The  Wisconsin  Legislature  met  in  December  of  this  year 
at  Burlington.  An  act  was  passed  at  this  session  creating 
Scott  county,  the  boundaries  of  which  were  as  follows : 

"  Beginning  at  a  point  in  the  middle  of  the  main  channel 
of  the  Mississippi  river,  where  the  line  dividing  one  and 
two,  east  of  the  fifth  principal  meridian  intersects  the  same  ; 
thence  north,  with  said  range-line,  to  the  line  dividing 
township  seventy-eight  and  seventy-nine  north ;  thence  west 
with  said  line,  to  the  fifth  principal  meridian ;  thence  north 
with  said  meridian  to  the  line  dividing  townships  eighty 
and  eighty-one  north  ;  thence  east  with  said  line  to  a  point 
where  the  said  line  intersects  or  crosses  the  Wapasipinica 
river ;  thence  down  the  middle  of  the  main  channel  of  said 
river  to  its  mouth ;  thence  due  east  to  the  middle  of  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  53 


main  channel  to  tlie  place  of  beginning;  shall  be,  and  the 
same  is  hereby  constituted,  a  separate  county,  to  be  called 
Scott." 

The  same  act  also  provides  for  the  election  for  county 
seat,  between  Eockingham  and  Davenport,  which  election 
"  shall  be  held  at  H.  W.  Higgin's  Hotel  in  Rockingham, 
John  II.  McGregor's  Hotel  in  Davenport,  and  the  house  of 
J.  A.  Richards,  at  the  house  of  E.  Parkhurst,  in  Parkhurst, 
(above  LeClaire,)  on  the  thirdMonday  in  February  of  1838." 
An  act  also  provided  for  the  election  of  three  County  Com- 
missioners— which  board  of  Commissioners  represented  the 
County  in  all  suits  and  County  business  of  whatever  nature. 

An  act  was  also  passed  at  this  session,  giving  a  Charter 
to  certain  persons,  the  authority  to  act  as  trustees  of  the 
"Davenport  Manual  Labor  College."  This  scheme  of  a 
Manual  Labor  College  was  a  fine  one,  but  it  never 
amounted  to  anything  for  two  reasons — a  lack  of  students, 
and  a  want  of  money.  It  evinced,  however,  a  most  com- 
mendable desire  upon  the  part  of  those  engaged  in  it  to 
promote  educational  interests — a  desire  which  since  has 
been  practically  developed  into  as  fine  a  Common  School 
system,  and  other  Institutes  as  may  be  found  west  of  the 
most  forward  sea-board  communities. 

The  number  of  acres  in  the  County  is  two  hundred  and 
eighty  thousand,  five  hundred  and  sixteen.  Swamp  Lands, 
ten  thousand  five  hundred  and  sixteen  acres;  and  the 
number  liable  to  taxation,  two  hundred  and  seventy-four 
thousand.  Davenport  is  thus  defined :  All  the  sections 
(fractional)  contained  in  township  seventy-eight.  Range, 
three  East,  fifth  Meridian,  in  all,  twenty-one  thousand, 
seven  hundred  and  forty  acres.  The  survey  of  the  latter 
■was  completed  in  March  of  1837. 
■  Lots  (which  on  the  old  site  are  laid  out  84x150)  sold 
during  this  year  for  from  fifty  to  two  hundred  dollars — a 
decrease  in  value  from  the  year  previous. 


54  DAVENPORT 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Contest  for  County  Seat — Importation  from  Dubuque — Result — County  Com- 
missionei's — Renewal  of  County  Seat  Contest — Newspaper  Magniloquence — 
Death  of  Black  Hawk — Old  Burying  Ground — Summary. 

The  act  providing  for  an  election  for  County  Seat,  to 
take  place  in  February  of  1838,  absorbed  alroost  every- 
thing else  at  the  commencement  of  this  year.  The  advan- 
tages occurring  to  the  locality  which  should  hold  the  seat 
of  justice,  were  sufficiently  important  to  be  worthy  of  no 
small  sacrifice.  Appreciating  this  fact,  the  inhabitants  of 
both  places  entered  into  the  contest  with  a  determination 
to  win  at  every  hazard — and  the  encounter,  headed  in  each 
case  by  men  of  means,  and  keen  practical  sagacity,  was  no 
child's  play,  as  will  be  presently  seen. 

The  leading  men  on  the  Rockingham  side  were  Dr.  Bar- 
rows, "Willard  Barrows,  Gen.  G.  B.  Sargent,  Ebenezer 
Cook,  John  P.  Cook,  a  Mr.  Clark,  of  Buffalo  ;  Mr.  Robert- 
son, John  Sullivan,  and  a  Mr.  Theller. 

Under  the  Davenport  standard  were  rallied  G.  L.  Dav- 
enport, James  Mcintosh,  Antoine  LeClaire,  G.  C.  R, 
Mitchell,  Levi  S.  Colton,  D.  C.  Eldredge,  Sheriff  Wilson, 
and  Captain  Fitch — although  the  latter  is  suspected  by 
Posterity  of  praying  "  Good  Lord  !  Good  Devil !" 

Readers  will  recognize  in  the  above  not  only  men  of 
shrewd  perception  and  indefatigable  perseverance,  but  also 
in  the  first-named,  a  few  who  have  left  their  first  love,  and 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  55 


who  now  consider  Davenport  as  "  fondly  tlieir  own"  as 
ever  they  did  Rockingham.  Headed  by  such  men,  the 
battle  was  long,  sanguinary  and  tcrr/'Jic,  if  one  may  be  al- 
lowed the  latitude  of  moderate  hyperbole. 

The  matter  probably  began  by  each  party  counting  noses, 
and  a  discovery  upon  one  side  or  the  other  that  there  was 
a  deficiency.  Which  side  first  became  aware  of  the  fact, 
and  resolved  to  supplj'  it  from  abroad,  it  may  be  expedient 
not  to  question  too  closely — suflice  it,  that  a  short  time 
before  the  day  of  election  both  parties  were  engaged  in 
recruiting  legal  voters — Rockingham  in  Cedar  county,  and 
Davenport  in  Dubuque.  An  individual,  named  Bellows 
holding  a  carte  blanche  from  some  seven  Davenporters — 
who  suddenly  discovered  that  Davenport  was  in  want  of 
laborers — started  to  Dubuque  in  the  capacity  of  recruiting 
Sergeant.  He  proved  himself  a  most  excellent  one,  for  a 
day  or  two  prior  to  the  election  he  returned  with  eleve7i 
sleigh-loads  of  miners,  who,  in  consideration  of  one  doll^,r 
per  diem,  food  and  whisky,  and  all  other  expenses,  had 
agreed  to  labor  a  few  days  in  Davenport,  where  they  had 
understood  there  was  a  scarcity  of  hands  at  that  particular 
juncture.  To  assert  that  they  knew  anything  of  a  pend- 
ing election,  were,  perhaps,  unwise,  and,  mayhap,  at  the 
same  time,  unjust  to  the  worthy  gentlemen  who  had  hired 
them.  Their  arrival  was  the  beginning  of  a  grand  carni- 
val. Houses  were  illuminated,  bonfires  streaked  the  face 
of  scowling  night  with  roseate  joy,  processions  were  formed, 
gunpowder  exploded,  whisky  gurgled  everlastingly,  and 
men  with  tumblers  in  hand,  and  elbows  bent,  were  every- 
where looking  skyward. 

The  memorable  nineteenth  of  February  made  its  appear- 
ance— the  day  appointed  by  Legislative  powers  as  the  day 
of  election.  The  town  was  filled  with  miners-rr-roi^ring, 
patriotically  drunk.  They  were  Americans— to  vote 
is  the  glorious,  blood-bought,  inaheriable  right  of  Ameri- 


56  DAVENPORT 


cans,  and  so  they  voted.  They  were  the  fiercest,  raggedest, 
most  God-forsakcu  crowd  under  the  heavens — to  challenge 
them  was  useless,  for  to  them  perjury  was  nothing  ;  to  at- 
tempt forcible  resistance  were  madness,  and  so,  what  could 
our  citizens  do  but  let  them  vote  unchallenged  and  unre- 
sisted, as  they  wisely  did  ? 

The  miners  voted,  and  left  soon  after.  They  drank 
during  their  brief  sojourn  three  hundred  gallons  of  whisky, 
and  other  liquors,  and  cost  those  who  brought  them,  for 
transportation,  and  other  expenses,  over  |3,000 !  It  may 
be  well  to  state  that  $1200  of  this  amount  was  absorbed  by 
Mr.  Bellows — he  having  received  the  amount  towards  pay- 
ing their  expenses,  but  which  he  put  into  his  own  pocket, 
together  with  |300  which  he  received  for  his  own  services. 

Upon  counting  votes,  it  appeared  that  Davenport  was 
ahead — the  Dubuque  miners  were  too  many  for  the  Cedar 
county  wood-choppers.  The  returns  were  sent  to  Dubuque, 
to  the  Sheriff  and  Commissioners,  but  their  decision  was 
valueless,  for  Dr.  Barrows  had  visited  Gov.  Dodge,  and 
made  such  representations  of  the  stupendous  frauds  com- 
mitted on  the  part  of  Davenport,  that' the  election  was  an- 
nulled. So  ended  the  first  battle — with  emaciated  pocket- 
books,  both  parties  rested  on  their  arms.  Rockingham, 
however,  had  the  advantage,  for  the  County  Commis- 
sioners were  elected  the  next  month  from  Rockingham, 
and  also  met  there. 

Maj.  "Wilson — now  of  Rock  Island — received  the  first 
appointment  of  Sherifli'in  Scott  county. 

In  the  Spring  of  this  year,  A.  LeClaire  laid  out  an  ad- 
dition to  the  site  of  two  blocks  in  width,  extending  from 
Harrison  street  to  Brady,  and  up  to  Seventh.  It  is  known 
as  LeClaire's  First  Addition.  This  addition  lay  upon  the 
Reserve,  and  as  the  title  was  perfect,  it  was  a  desirable 
locality.  Lots  were  sold  on  long  time — in  prices  ranging 
from  one  hundred  to  five  hundred  dollars,  with  the  proviso 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  57 


that  each  buyer  should  improve  his  lot,  within  one  year,  to 
the  amount  of  five  hundred  dollars.  Some  thirty  houses 
were  built  upon  it  during  the  year,  which  was  the  first 
marked  improvement  in  the  growth  of  the  place. 

It  may,  perhaps,  be  not  uninteresting  to  give  the  first 
day's  proceeding  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners.  It  met 
at  the  store  of  H.  W.  Higgins,  in  Rockingham : 

"  Present — Benj.  F.  Pike,  and  Andrew  W.  Campbell. 

The  Board  proceeded  to  the  appointment  of  a  Clerk. 

Ordered — That  Ebenezer  Cook  be  appointed  Clerk  to 
the  Board. 

Ebenezer  Cook  having  appeared  in  pursuance  of  his  ap- 
pointment, and  taken  the  oath  of  office,  entered  upon  his 
duties  as  Clerk. 

Ordered — That  the  Clerk  take  the  necessary  steps  to 
procure  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Territory,  a  seal  for  the 
use  of  this  Board. 

Ordered — That  this  Bjarl  do  meet,  at  its  April  Session, 
in  the  tovvn  of  Rockingham. 

Ordered — That  Benj.  F.  Pike  be  allowed  three  dollars 
for  one  day's  service  as  County  Commissioner. 

Ordered — That  Andrew  W.  Carier  be  allowed  three  dol- 
lars for  one  day's  service  as  County  Commissioner. 

Ordered — That  Ebenezer  Cook  be  allowed  three  dollars 
for  one  day's  service  as  Clerk. 

And  the  Board  a'ljourned  to  Session  in  course." 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  largest  "  service"  by  which  they 
claimed  three  dollars,  was  the  labor  of  voting  themselves 
the  amount.  Alfred  Carter  was  the  third  Commissioner 
elected,  but  he  did  not  participate  in  the  laborious  "ser- 
vices" of  the  first  sitting. 

July   fourth   was    marked  not   only  as   the    era  of  our 
National   Independence,  but  as  the  day  also  upon  which 
the  District  of  Iowa  was  separated  from  Wisconsin,  and  be- 
came   the  Territory  of  Iowa;  Robt.  Lucas,  of  Ohio,  was 
8 


DAVENPORT 


appointed  Governor,  and  Wm.  B.  Conway,  of  Pennsylvania, 
Secretary.  The  Counties  of  Scott,  Muscatine,  Louisa, 
Slaughter  and  Jolmson,  were  constituted  the  Second 
Judicial  District,  and  were  assigned  to  Joseph  "Williams. 
The  District  Court  met  for  the  first  time,  the  ''  first  Thurs- 
day after  the  first  Monday  in  October"  at  Davenport.  At 
this  time,  Wisconsin  had  thirteen  counties,  and  18,148  in- 
habitants'; Iowa  sixteen  counties,  and  a  population  of  22,859. 
Scott  and  Clinton  counties  formed  one  election  District, 
and  elected  one  member  to  the  Council,  and  two  to  the 
House  of  the  Territorial  Legislature. 

In  the  Summer  of  this  year,  the  first  brick  house  was 
erected  by  D.  C.  Eldredge.  It  is  still  standing  on  the 
south-east  corner  of  Main  and  Third  streets.  ISTearly  at 
the  same  time,  the  brick  building,  now  used  by  the  Sisters 
in  Catholic  Block,  was  completed  as  a  Church.  The  first 
Presbyterian  organization  was  completed  this  year. 

At  a  special  session  of  the  "Wisconsin  Legislature,  held  in 
June  of  this  year,  at  Burlington,  an  act  was  passed  for 
the  holding  of  a  new  election  in  Scott  county,  for  the  seat 
of  justice,  to  be  held  on  the  third  Monday  of  August. 
It  provided  a  sixty  day's  residence  as  qualification  for  a 
voter. 

Then  the  war  began  again.  The  most  liberal  induce- 
ments were  held  out  for  settlers — lots  were  sold  at  half  or 
quarter  prices,  or  given  away  to  secure  residents.  Rock- 
ingham, which  was  subject  to  partial  inundation  in  times 
of  high  water,  was  subject  to  many  a  witticism  and  carrica- 
ture.  Among  the  latter,  was  a  Mr.  Hedges,  represented 
as  wading  the  slough  that  surrounds  the  town,  with  his 
wife  upon  his  back,  and  the  water  breast-high — this  was 
founded  upon  fact.  Another  pictured  Gen.  Sargent,  lead- 
ing a  company  of  men  to  the  polls.  The  men  hesitate 
upon  the  brink  of  the  slough,  but  the  General  bravely 
plunges  in,  and  wades  to  the  middle.     "  Come  on,  men. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  59 


its  only  so  deep  !"  cries  he  as  he  turns  to  his  company,  with 
the  water  reaching  close  to  his  neck.  James  Mcintosh, 
and  others,  commenced  the  work  of  a  thorough  canvass, 
and  the  "din  of  preparation"  resounded  loud  and  deep 
from  both  camps,  prognosticating  another  furious  struggle. 

About  this  time,  Mr.  A.  Logan  made  his  appearance 
with  materials  for  a  printing  office.  There  was  no  little 
strife  between  Rockingham  and  Davenport,  as  to  which 
should  obtain  'him.  Extremely  liberal  offers  were  made 
him  on  both  sides — such  as  now  would  gladden  the  heart 
of  the  printer  with  a  joy  unknown  to  modern  supporters  of 
these  type-sticking  pilgrims.  Both  places  recognized  the 
infinite  benefit  which  a  paper  would  render  them  in  build- 
ing up  the  towns — of  the  emigration  it  would  influence, 
and  the  reputation  which  it  would  give  the  place  abroad. 
Another  election  was  impending  for  County  Seat,  and  the 
aid  of  a  paper  would  be  to  either  side  invaluable.  Whether 
Mr.  Logan  was  influenced  mainly  by  the  liberal  offers 
made  him,  or  by  the  superior  locality  of  Davenport- 
certain  it  is,  however,  that  one  fourth  day  of  August,  1838, 
there  appeared  the  first  number  of  the  "  Iowa  Sun  and 
Davenport  and  Rock  Island  Neivs;  which — as  w^e  learn 
from  its  salutatory — is  designed  "  to  cast  its  rays  over  the 
moral  and  political  landscape,  regardless  of  those  petty 
interests  and  local  considerations  which  might  contract  its 
beams."  And  in  order  to  more  readily  accomplish  this, 
we  are  further  told  that,  "we  have  selected  the  center 
(Davenport,)  of  the  system  around  which  all  our  territorial 
interests  harmoniously  revolve." 

The  election  was  held,  and  Rockingham  had  a  majority 
of  fifteen  votes.  Mr.  James  Mcintosh,  and  John  Forrest, 
Esq ,  after  some  hard  riding,  and  much  swearing,  (in  a 
legal  way  of  course,)  secured  affidavits — in  many  cases  from 
the  voters  themselves — proving  that  twenty  fraudulent 
votes  were  cast  on  the  Rockingham  side.     These   being 


60  DAVENPORT 


transmitted  to  the  Sheriff  and  Commissioners  at  Dubnque, 
were  acted  upon  by  them,  and  resulted  in  their  declaring, 
on  the  eighth  of  Septeml)er,  that  the  seat  ofjustice  should 
be  permanently  located  at  Davenport.  Rockingham, 
however,  carried  the  matter  before  the  judicial  tribunals, 
where  it  remained  a  year  or  so,  and  where  we  shall  meet  it 
again  in  its  proper  place. 

In  dismissing  the  subject,  until  it  is  met  again  in  1840, 
it  will  not  be  amiss  to  insert  a  note  in  regard  to  both 
places,  and  the  contest,  for  which  we  are  indebted  to  the 
veteran  pen  of  VVillard  Barrows,  Esq., — formerly  a  resident 
of  Rockingham,  but  now  one  of  Davenport's  most  esteemed 
citizens : 

"  Rockingham  was  laid  out  by  Col.  John  Sullivan,  of 
Lyonsville,  Ohio,  and  A.  II.  Davenport,  Esq.,  now  of 
LeClaire,  in  this  County,  and  although  the  ground  upon 
which  it  was  located,  much  of  it,  was  low,  and  subject  to 
overflow,  yet  its  situation,  directly  opposite  the  mouth  of 
Rock  River,  which,  at  that  time,  was  supposed  to  be  nav- 
igable, gave  it  so  much  importance  as  to  attract  attention 
— so  much  so,  that  in  1838  and  '9,  it  contained  some 
twenty-five  or  thirty  houses.  The  early  settlers  of  Rock- 
ingham were  an  enterprising  and  intelligent  people,  and 
noted  for  their  hospitality  and  social  intercourse  with  one- 
another,  many  of  whom  are  now  among  the  most  respecta- 
ble citizens  of  Davenport. 

One  of  the  most  prominent  causes  of  its  downfall  and 
decay,  was  the  long  and  unsettled  question  of  the  County 
Seat.  For  several  years  the  struggle  was  carried  on  be- 
tween Rockingham  and  Davenport,  with  varied  success  to 
either  party.  All  the  ingenuity  and  wit  of  the  parties  were 
resorted  to — the  Law  of  the  Territory,  at  that  time,  in  re- 
gard to  such  questions,  was  anything  but  pointed;  and 
great  latitude  was  given  to  construe  it  to  suit  the  wants  of 
either  party.     At  the  elections  held   for  the   decision  of 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  61 


the  case  between  the  two  towns,  the  inhabitants  of 
of  Illinois  were  invited  over  to  vote.  Men  were  imported 
from  Dubuque  and  Galena  at  great  expense — the  ballot- 
box  was  stufied,  and  the  poll-books  showed  a  population 
that,  for  years  after,  it  was  hard  to  find.  The  final  settle- 
ment of  the  question,  however,  was  arrived  at,  by  the 
citizens  of  Davenport  agreeing  to  build  the  Court  House 
and  Jail  free  of  expense  to  the  County,  which  they  did. 
The  tieaty  of  peace  was  made  at  Rockingham  in  the  winter 
of  1840,  and  ratified  by  a  ball  given  at  the  Rockingham 
Hotel,  where  not  less  than  fifty  couple  were  in  attendance, 
among  whom  were  some  of  our  Hargest  and  wealthiest 
citizens. 

During  the  whole  of  this  contest,  there  was  the  utmost 
good  feeling  and  gentlemanly  conduct  apparent  in  the 
whole  transaction,  and,  to  this  time,  it  is  often  the  source 
of  much  merriment  among  the  actors  of  that  day  ;  and  is 
looked  upon  only  as  the  ^^ freaks  and  follies"  of  a  frontier 
life." 

In  September  a  stock  company  was  formed  to  erect  a 
School  House — shares  ten  dollars.  A  meeting  of  stockhold- 
ers was  called  the  16th  to  elect  a  building  committee,  &c. 
Some  members  held  more  than  one  share,  and  were  thereby 
entitled  to  more  than  one  vote,  but  some  ultra-Democrat 
moved  that  all  should  fare  alike  in  this  particular.  It  was 
voted  down,  and,  thereupon,  the  indignant  Jupiter  Tonans 
thus  discoursed.  For  a  specimen  of  tall  traveling  by  such 
a  varicose-legged  apparatus  as  his  Pegasus  must  have  been, 
it  is  unequalled. 

"That  insatiable  thirst  for  power,  which  is  so  dominant  in 
man  as  well  as  beast,  requires  an  Argus  to  watch  and  detect 
its  Jinius  (!)  windings,  and  a  Herculean  force  to  destroy 
its  hydra  machinations'     If  that  noble  and  magnanimous 

*  Mr.  LeClaire. 


62  DAVENPORT 


bird,  which  we  liave  adopted  for  onr  emblem,  should  hear 
such  sentiments  avowed,  and  would  not  eagerly  part  with 
every  quill  to  record  damnation  to  the  principle,  I  would 
pluck  her  from  her  towering  Erhj,  and  make  her  the  com- 
panion of  owls  and  ravens !  Is  there  a  star  in  the  splendid 
galaxy  which  bespangles  our  banner,  that  would  not  blush 
in  token  of  disapprobation  to  such  sentiments,  I  would 
blot  it  forever  from  the  pure  etherial  ether  in  which  it 
shines !" 

The  assertion,  ex  nihilo,  nihiljit  seems  contravened  in  this 
case — for  all  this  burst  of  eloquence  about  that  conirostral 
bird — the  Eagle — and  the  bannered-star  and  Jinius  (!)  and 
Argus,  grew  from  the  resolution  of  a  company  of  stock- 
holders to  allow  a  member  having  four  shares  to  have  four 
votes  1  Sorry  is  my  pen  that  it  cannot  confer  immortality 
upon  the  writer  of  the  above,  as  cotemporaneous  records 
make  no  mention  of  his  name — nor  do  they  even  mention 
whether  the  Eagle  handed  over  her  quills,  or  the  "  star 
blushed,"  or  whether  either  or  both  received  the  dire  pun- 
ishment which  "Anthony"*  threatened.  We  but  know 
that  the  Eagle  still  roosts  in  the  solitary  grandeur  of  her 
"  Eriy"  and  that  the  Star  still  waves  proudly  in  "etherial 
ether"  over  the  "  land  of  the  free  and  home  of  the, brave." 

The  county  commenced  improving  rapidly — roads  were 
laid  to  its  limits  from  all  parts,  and  emigration  began 
slowly  to  dot  the  back  country  with  log-houses  and  wheat- 
stacks.  The  village  for  two  years  had  passed  from  its 
ruder  character,  and  was  beginning  to  assume  prominence 
abroad  as  a  healthy,  and  one  of  the  most  beautiful  localities 
on  the  Mississippi.  A  writer,  in  August  of  that  year,  thus 
says  of  Davenport : 

"  Two  years  ago  it  had  but  one  family,  now  upwards  of 
thirty,  and  has  three  large  store  buildings,  a  large  hotel, 

*  This  was  the  name  appended  to  the  communication. 


PAST  AND  PKESENT.  63 

two  groceries,  two  forwarding  and  commission  houses,  and 
an  elegant  brick  chapel  has  been  commenced :  and  more 
than  one  hundred  dwellings  will  be  under  contract  the  en- 
suing year.  Now,  as  I  stand  here  overlooking  the  rapid 
increase  and  improvement,  (in  spite  of  all  the  uncertainty 
of  preemption  titles,)  I  think  it  requires  but  little  faith  to 
call  Davenport  an  embryo  Cincinnati." 

Keen-visioned  seer!  Posterity  will,  undoubtedly,  at 
some  future  time,  recognize  his  prophetic  character. 

A  writer  in  the  "  Army  and  Navy  Register,''  of  that 
date,  says :  "  At  our  feet,  and  on  the  gentle  declivity 
between  the  bluff  and  the  river,  is  situated  the  village  of 
Davenport.  The  location  is  not  exceeded  by  any  on  the 
Mississippi,  or  in  the  world,  either  for  health,  beauty,  or 
the  fertility  of  its  soil."  Any  quantity  of  extracts  similar 
in  import,  might  be  given  from  cotemporary  papers,  show- 
ing the  high  position  which  our  place  at  once  took  in  the 
public  estimation,  as  being  unequalled  in  the  superb  beauty 
of  its  location. 

In  regard  to  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  the  Sun,  of  Septem- 
ber, says  :  "  We  yesterday  saw  a  Water  Melon,  raised 
about  one  and  a  half  miles  west  of  the  village,  which 
measured  four  feet  one  way,  and  three  and  a  half  the  other 
— and  weighed  forty  and  a  half  pounds.  Another  gentle- 
man has  a  pumpkin  vine,  on  which,  he  says,  he  counted 
sixty-eight  good  sized  pumpkins  !"  These  facts  speak  volumes 
for  the  farming  country  adjacent  to  Davenport. 

The  editor  of  the  Sun  has  not  a  few  articles  in  his  sheet 
eulogistical  of  the  mammoth  vegetables  which,  frojn  time 
to  time,  were  laid  upon  his  table,  by  subscribers  anxious 
for  a  "  puff" — of  the  soil.  He  was  once,  how^ever,  badly 
soldi  Mr.  D.  A.  Burrows  resolved  to  astonish  him,  and 
for  this  purpose  stuck  a  half  dozen,  or  more,  large  potatoes 
so  nicely  together  with  pegs,  that  thej^  seemed  one  growth. 
The  editor  was  hugely  delighted  with  the  present.     It  was 


04  DAVENPORT 


to  Other  potatoes  what  elephants  are  to  mice — and  he 
trumpeted  the  fact  accordingly,  defying  any  other  soil 
under  the  sun  to  produce  its  equal.  It  hung  in  the  sanc- 
tum a  long  time,  and  was  a  source  of  patriotic  pride  both 
to  the  worthy  editor  and  all  spectators.  But  one  day  a 
piece  of  the  monster  fell  oft — and  revealed  a  hard  woody 
substance  protruding,  which  excited  curiosity.  A  nearer 
examination  revealed  a  peg,  and  a  little  more  revealed 
the  entire  internal  economy  of  the  potatoe.  The  worthy 
votary  of  the  Quill  was  highly  incensed  at  the  de- 
noument,  and  did  not  pufii"  a  mammoth  vegetable  for  three 
whole  weeks. 

At  the  first  election,  held  under  the  new  territorial  law, 
in  September,  P.  H.  Engle,  for  Delegate  to  Congress,  re- 
ceived three  hundred  and  nine  votes.  The  whole  number 
of  votes  cast  for  Delegate  was  four  hundred  and  twenty- 
six.  J.  W.  Parker,  for  member  of  Council,  two  hundred 
and  forty-four — for  Representatives,  J.  A.  Burchard,  -and 
Gr.  "W.  Harlan  received,  the  former,  two  hundred  and 
thirty-four,  the  latter,  two  hundred  and  three.  The  Dis- 
trict included  Scott  and  Clinton  counties. 

In  the  next  month  the  first  District  Court  met.  On  mo- 
tion of  G.  C.  P.  Mitchell,  Esq.,  W.  B.  Conway,  James 
Grant,  Rufus  Harvey,  Simon  Meredith,  Edward  Southwick, 
and  J.  Wilson  Dewy,  Esqs.,  were  admitted.  On  motion  of 
Mr.  "Woods,  J.  W.  Parker  was  also  admitted.  This,  from 
the  Iowa  Sun,  is  all  the  notice  we  have  of  the  doings  of 
this,  our  first  District  Court  Organization. 

"We  are  also  informed  in  the  same  paper,  that  the  editor, 
"after  considerable  enquiry,"  has  ascertained  that  "sheep 
do  well  here."  This  is  not  particularly  important,  save 
that  it  recalls  an  anecdote  of  that  well-known  gentleman, 
Mons.  A.  LeClaire — as  he  was  termed  in  those  daj^s. 

It  seems  that  some  one  engaged  in  the  sheep  business, 
had  secured  Mr.  LeClaire's  service   to   transport  a  large 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  65 


flock  of  sheep  across  the  river — as  he  wished  to  reach  some 
point  on  this  side  ,and  the  on\j  available  ferriage  was  to  be 
obtained  here.  After  getting  them  over,  the  sheep  driver 
sheared  them,  and  was  indebted  to  Mr.  LeClaire  also  for 
pasture  during  the  operation.  Upon  leaving,  he  presented 
Mr.  LeClaire  the  fleeces  as  payment  for  his  trouble,  and 
went  on.  Wool  was  then  worth  some  forty  cents  a  pound, 
and  the  large  pile  was  almost  a  moderate  fortune  to  any 
one.  But  Mr.  LeClaire  did  not  then  know  as  much  of 
wool  as  he  did  of  interpreting — it  seemed  simply  a  huge 
pile  of  refuse,  utterly  valueless.  Accordingly  he  sum- 
moned his  men,  ordered  them  to  pile  brush  on  the  wool, 
and  set  fire  to  it!  It  was  done,  and,  as  he  traveled  off, 
with  fingers  upon  his  nose  to  shut  out  the  intolerable 
fume  of  the  burning  wool,  he  concluded  that  "  such  a 
cursed  stench  was  poor  pay  for  all  his  trouble !"  Most 
readers,  who  have  ever  "  smelt  wollen,"  will  join  heartily 
in  his  conclusion. 

D.  C.  Eldredge  was  appointed  P.  M.  this  Fall.  Mails 
came  from  the  East  and  left  via  Stephenson,  Sundays  ;  to 
and  from  the  North  via  Dubuque,  weekly;  do.  West  via 
Sanbornton,  weekly;  and  do.  from  South  via  Burlington, 
twice  each  week. 

On  the  third  of  October,  Black  Hawk  breathed  his  last, 
at  his  village  on  Des  Moines  River.  He  was  buried  near 
the  banks  of  the  river,  in  a  sitting  posture,  as  is  customary 
with  his  tribe.  His  hands  grasped  his  cane,  and  his  body 
was  surrounded  by  stakes,  which  united  at  the  top.  A 
large  number  of  whites  were  present,  and  did  honor  to  the 
occasion  of  his  interment  by  their  sympatljy  and  numbers. 
Ko  monument  rears  itself  to  mark  the  resting-place  of  his 
dust— nor  does  he  need  it.  His  deeds  have  conferred  a 
name  upon  him,  which  will  outlast  a  dozen  granite  piles — 
a  name  which  will  last  as  long  as  Patriotism  shall  be  re- 
membered as  a  Virtue. 
9 


6G  DAVENPORT 


The  Burial  place  of  Davenport  was,  at  this  time,  on  the 
Blufls,  near  the  corner  of  Sixth  and  Farnam  streets,  on  the 
ground  now  occupied  by  the  house  and  lot  of  Willard  Bar- 
rows. Dr.  Emerson,  a  gentleman  well-known  as  the 
original  owner  of  Dred  Scott  was  buried  here.  The  re- 
mains  have  since  been  removed.  The  same  spot  was  also 
the  target-ground  for  the  cannon  of  the  Fort,  before  it  was 
dismantled.  Many  an  iron  relic  will  yet  be  exhumed 
when  the  blufl:"is  graded — if  such  ever  will  happen. 

The  population  of  the  County  at  the  close  of  1838,  was 
one  thousand.  The  number  of  boats  passing  averaged 
about  five  per  diem.  The  river  closed  December  seven- 
teenth. "Wheat  was  worth  twenty-five  cents  per  bushel ; 
Oats  thirty-five  cents  ;  Potatoes  one  dollar.  Pine  lumber 
was  brought  from  Cincinnati,  and  was  worth  from  forty 
dollars  to  sixty  dollars  per  thousand.  Oak  lumber  was 
sawed  in  the  neighborhood,  and  was  worth  thirty-five  dol- 
lars per  thousand.  About  two  thousand  bushels  of  wheat 
were  raised  in  the  County.  The  number  of  buildings  in 
the  village  was  about  fifty. 

The  receipts  of  the  County  were  four  hundred  ninety- 
seven  dollars  fifty  three  cents,  and  its  expenses  seven 
hundred  eighty-one  dollars  fifty  cents. 

The  building  this  year  was  mostly  upon  the  Addition  of 
A.  LeClaire — the  title  to  this  was  unexceptional,  while 
purchasers  were  fearful  of  that  by  which  the  site  below 
Harrison  street  was  held.  The  number  of  buildings 
erected  made  it  a  busy  year — while  the  tide  of  emigration, 
which  was  setting  into,  and  flowing  through,  made  money 
plenty,  and  every  department  of  industry  active.  Still  this 
activity  was  simply  relative — :in  general  there  was  not 
much  to  do,  save  to  watch  claims,  and  bide  the  eft'ects  of 
time.  A  Lyceum  was  started  at  Stephenson  this  winter, 
'in  which  some  of  our  citizens  joined.     Social  enjoyment 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  67 


consisted  mainly  in  discussing  apple-toddies,  the  patriot 
war,  and  speculating  upon  the  probabilities  of  Davenport's 
reaching  a  hundred  thousand  inhabitants. 


68  DAVENPORT 


CHAPTER    VII. 

Financial  Condition  of  County — Militia — Territorial  Council — Meetings — Town 
of  Davenport  Organized — Growth  of  Village — Navigation  of  Rock  River — 
First  Church — Subscribers — Fire  Department — Original  Temperance  Society 
— Schools — Death  of  W.  B.  Conway — Resolutions. 

It  may  be  a  matter  of  curiosity  to  many  to  know  the  ex- 
penses and  receipts,  in  detail,  of  the  County,  during  the 
first  year  of  its  existence.  The  following  is  the  statement 
for  the  year  ending  January,  1839  : 

RECEIPTS. 

For  licenses  to  merchants  and  pedlars,  $120  75 

"         "        "    tavern  keepers,  74  75 

«         "         "   ferry        "  23  00 
Fine  against  Boile  &  McConnel  for  selling  goods 

without  a  license,  10  00 

Tax  on  John  Wilson's  ferry  charter,  20  00 
From  collector  of  taxes,  on  account  of  tax  list  of 

1838,  24^  03 


$497  53 


EXPENDITURES. 


Expenses  of  meeting  of  Commissioners,  including 
pay  of  Commissioners,  Clerk,  Sherifi",  and 
rent  of  rooms,  $138  00 

Expenses  of  laying  out  new  roads,  166  75 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  69 


Assessing, 


56 

25 

26 

52 

231 

35 

115 

63 

37 

50 

9 

50 

$781 

50 

497 

53 

Book  and  stationary  for  use  of  County, 

Expenses  of  five  elections, 

Expenses  District  Court,  October  Term, 

Extra  services  of  Clerk, 

Expenses  of  copies  of  road  law,  ferry  law,  (fee, 


Excess,  $781  50 

The  tax  list  for  1838,  was  eight  hundred  ninety-one  dol- 
lars forty  cents,  of  which  only  some  two  hundred  forty- 
nine  dollars  three  cents  had  been  collected.  If  all  had 
been,  there  would  have  remained  to  the  County  a  balance 
of  three  hundred  fifty-eight  dollars  forty  cents. 

This  statement  will  give  the  reader  a  very  fair  idea  of 
the  financial  condition  of  the  County  at  that  time. 

An  act  having  been  passed  by  the  Territorial  Legislature 
to  organize  and  discipline  the  Militia  of  the  Territory,  Gov. 
Lucas,  in  June,  issued  a  general  order  dividing  the  Terri- 
tory into  Military  districts.  The  counties  of  Scott,  Cedar, 
and  Linn,  formed  the  first  regiment,  and  a  part  of  the 
second  brigade,  and  were  included  in  the  third  General 
Division.  John  H.  Sullivan,  of  Scott  county,  was  ap- 
pointed one  of  the  Aids-de-Camp  to  the  Commander-in- 
Chief.  Only  one  drill  was  ever  had  here,  which  will  be 
noticed  in  its  proper  place. 

The  first  session  of  the  Territorial  Legislature  was  by  no 
means  harmonious.  The  Governor  endeavored  to  check 
the  expenditures  of  the  Legislature,  which  was  resented  by 
the  latter;  and  a  resolution  was  passed,  in  which  they 
assert  that  the  Governor  "  is  not  invested  with  advisatory 
or  restraining  powers  over  the  Legislature,  further  than  the 
disapproval  of  bills,  memorials,  and  resolutions,  presented  for 
his  signature."     A  committee,  also,  consisting  of  James  W. 


70  DAVENPORT 


Grimes,  C.  Swan,  Laurel  Summers,  and  Hawkins  Taylor, 
reported  that  the  Governor  had  no  right  to  veto  certain 
bills  of  expenditure  passed  by  the  Legislature. 

This  Report  created  considerable  excitement,  and  meet- 
ings were  held  everywhere  to  take  action  upon  it.  One 
was  held  at  the  house  of  Col.  T.  C.  Eads,  in  Parkhurst,  at 
which  Gov.  Lucas  was  cordially  upheld,  his  patriotism 
eulogised,  and  his  statesmanship,  virtues,  and  private  life, 
unequivocally  lauded  and  endorsed. 

The  following  appointments  were  made  by  the  Legisla- 
ture and  Governor  for  Scott  county  :  Willard  Barrows, 
Notary  Public ;  Ebenezer  Cook,  Judge  of  Probate  ;  Adrian 
H.  Davenport,  Sheriff;  Isaac  A.  Hedges,  and  John  Porter? 
Justices  of  Peace  for  Scott  county. 

The  town  of  Davenport  was  incorporated  by  this  Legis- 
lature. The  first  election  for  township  officers  was  held 
April  first.  Rodolphus  Bennett  was  elected  Mayor,  Frazer 
"Wilson :Recorder,  and  Dr.  A.  C.  Donaldson,  D.  C.  Eldredge, 
Jobn  Forrest,  Thomas  Dillon,  and  Capt.  John  Litch, 
Trustees. 

The  river  opened  February  twenty-eighth.  There  was, 
during  this  winter,  scarcely  any  snow,  and  the  whole  season 
was  more  like  Spring  than  aught  else.  Business  opened 
briskly  this  Spring,  as  the  following  from  the  April  number 
of  the  Sun  shows  :  "  Since  the  opening  of  navigation  our 
lovely  little  village  has  been  thronged  with  travelers  and 
emigrants.  The  tide  of  emigration  is  so  great  to  this  place, 
that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  procure  houses  to  accommo- 
date them ;  although  our  carpenters  are  busily  engaged  in 
putting  up  houses,  yet  still,  they  are  filled  as  fast  as  erected, 
and  the  demand  appears  to  increase.  The  demand  is  so 
great  that  it  requires  six  or  eight  houses  to  be  completed 
weekly  to  supply  the  wants  of  emigrants.  Forty  or  fifty 
lots  have  been  sold  the  past  week.  Our  wharves,  or  rather 
our  shores,  are  crowded  with  families  and  merchandize. 


PAST  AND  PKESENT.  71 


Our  farmers  have  sowed  their  spring- wheat,  oats,  and  flax, 
and  our  prairies  are  iu  many  places  covered  with  a  mantle 
of  green,  bespangled  with  the  most  beautiful  flowers  !" 

These  facts,  for  people  in  Pennsylvania,  j^ew  York,  and 
the  New  England  States,  are  full  of  interest.  Such  a  time, 
as  early  iu  April,  Eastern  farmers  are  scarcely,  if  ever,  free 
from  snow-banks  and  chilling  winds,  a  contrast  which  shows 
the  immense  superiority  of  Iowa  in  geniality. 

The  steamboat  arrivals  were  from  one  to  seven  each  day. 

The  Town  Council  held  its  first  Session  April  twentieth. 
James  M.  Boling  was  appointed  Treasurer,  Wm.  Nichols 
Street  Commissioner,  and  "W.  H.  Patten  Marshal. 

An  advertisement,  iu  April,  states  that  the  light  draught 
keel-boat,  G.  M.  Searl,  will  start  from  Stephenson,  and  go  up 
Pock  Piver  to  Rockford.  It  need  scarcely  be  added  that 
boats  do  not  now  ascend  this  stream.  ( 

A  company  was  organized  about  this  time,  which  was 
called  the  "  Pock  Piver  and  Mississippi  Steam  l^avigation 
Company."  Their  object  is  indicated  in  the  name. 
Daniel  G.  Gornsey,  G.  C.  P.  Mitchell,  and  Sylvester  Tal- 
cott,  were  Directors,  Antoine  LeClaire  Treasurer,  and  Geo. 
Mj^ers,  Secretary.  Although  most  of  these  gentlemen  have 
now  a  sufficiency  of  the  world's  goods,  it  is  not  probable 
that  they  made  a  very  large  share  by  the  navigation  of 
Pock  Piver. 

The  extensive  pineries  of  Wisconsin  began  to  send  their 
products  to  Davenport  this  year  by  way  of  rafts — and 
brought  from  thirty  dollars  to  thirty-live  dollars  per 
thousand  feet. 

At  the  third  meeting  of  the  Town  Council,  in  May,  Dr. 
Donaldson  resigned  his  seat,  and  Andrew  F.  Pussel  was 
appointed  to  till  the  vacancy.  On  motion,  it  was  Pesolved, 
That  the  temporary  seal  of  this  Council  be  an  American 
twenty-five  cent  piece. 

On  the  twenty-third  of  May,  St.  Anthony's  Church  was 


72  DAVENPORT 


dedicated  by  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Loras,  of  Dubuque,  assisted 
by  Very  Rev.  S.  Muzzuchelli.  The  Catholic  Advocate  thus 
speaks  of  the  matter,  after  liighly  complimenting  the 
beauty  of  the  place  : 

"  Mr.  Antoine  LeClaire,  a  wealthy  Frenchman,  and  a 
zealous  and  exemplary  Christian,  in  partnership  with  Mr. 
Davenport,  has  generously  granted  to  the  Catholic  Congre- 
gation, in  the  very  centre  of  the  town,  a  whole  square,  in- 
cluding ten  lots,  in  the  middle  of  which  he  has  built,  partly 
at  his  own  expense,  a  fine  brick  Church,  with  a  school- 
room attached.  *  *  *  In  order  to  lay  in  Daven- 
port a  lasting  foundation  for  the  Catholic  religion,  our 
Bishop  has  purchased  half  a  square  for  a  hospital,  and 
several  other  lots  for  purposes  of  the  same  kind.  *  * 
*  The  Church  has  St.  Peter  for  its  primary,  and  St, 
Anthony  for  its  secondary  patron." 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Pelamourgues,  who  first  assumed  charge 
of  the  Church,  still  retains  it. 

As  this  was  the  first  Church  erected  in  Davenport,  it 
may  not  be  uninteresting  to  publish  the  list  of  subscribers, 
and  other  matters  connected  with  its  foundation  : 

"  At  a  meeting  of  the  Catholics  of  Davenport  and  vicinity, 
held  on  the  first  day  of  December,  1839,  for  the  purpose  of 
regulating  the  Church  accounts  of  said  town,  the  following 
resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted  : 

1.  Resolved,  That  a  Board  of  three  Trustees  be  regularly 
elected  by  the  Congregation,  to  open  a  subscription,  collect 
its  amounts,  and  pay  all  standing  debts  incurred  for  the 
purchase  of  the  ground  and  for  the  building  of  St.  Anthony's 
Church  of  Davenport. 

2.  Resolved,  That  the  Trustees  be  elected  for  the  term 
of  three  years,  and  that  after  said  period,  a  new  election  of 
Trustees  shall  be  made. 

3.  Resolued,      That   the   Rev.    John   A.    Pelamourgues, 


...                                                                                      1 

PAST  AND  PRESENT. 

73 

i 

Antoine  LeClaire,  an( 

1  Geo.  L. 

Davenport,  be 

the  Trustees 

of  the  Catholic    Cong 

regation 

of  Davenport  and  vicinity. 

for  the  purpose  and  time  above  mentioned. 

SAMUEL  MUZZUCHELLI, 

Secretary. 

SUBSCRIPTIONS   TO   PAY 

FOR    ERECTING   THE   CATHOLIC   CHURCH 

OF   DAVENPORT. 

Gentlemen. 

Subscribed, 

Paid. 

Antoine  LeClaire, 

$2500  00 

$3500  00 

Bishop  M.  Loras, 

150  00 

150  00 

Rev.  S.  Muzzuchelli, 

50  00 

20  00 

Rev.  J.  A.  M.  Pelamourgues, 

50  00 

22  00 

Kathaniel  Mitchell, 

20  00 

20  00 

G.  C.  R.  Mitchell, 

20  00 

20  00 

Adam  JS'oel, 

25  00 

■  i 

John  Noel, 

25  00 

• 

George  L.  Davenport, 

25  00 

George  Meyers, 

25  00 

David  Barry, 

25  00 

Richard  Shial, 

25  00 

C.  Harold, 

25  00 

W.  B.  Watts, 

20  00 

10  00 

Otho  G.  M'Lain, 

15  00 

Michael  Riley, 

15  00 

Narcisse  Terten, 

25  00 

James  0 'Kelly, 

10  00 

Patrick  Fox, 

10  00 

Thomas  0 'Kelly, 

10  00 

Patrick  Carrol, 

10  00 

Alexis  LeClaire, 

10  00 

10  00 

David  LeClaire, 

10  00 

10  00 

James  Lindsey, 

10  00 

James  Wicka, 

8  00 

3  00 

10 

74                                              DAVENPORT 

Harvey  Sturdevant, 

5  00 

Patrick  Ilogau, 

5  00 

Louis  G.  Trudeau, 

5  00 

John  Brossard, 

5  00 

Joliu  Trucks, 

15  00 

Ladies. 

Subscribed. 

Faid. 

Mrs.  Margaret  LeClaire, 

25  00 

10  00 

Mrs.  Conway, 

15  00 

15  00 

Mrs.  Kuth  Trucks, 

10  00 

10  00 

Mrs.  Annie  Finch, 

5  00 

Miss  Felicite  LeClaire, 

5  00 

Mary  Trucks, 

5  00 

Mary  Long, 

5  00 

Matilda  Long, 

5  00 

Mary  Finch, 

1  00 

Sarah  Ann  Lindsey, 

5  00 

EXPENSES. 

A  Lot  320  feet  square  in  the  town  of  Davenport, 

$2500  00 

Brick  for  building  the  Church, 

827  00 

Lumber  and  Shingles, 

843  25 

Hardware, 

167  60 

Glass,  putty,  paints,  oil  painting, 

and  glazing. 

206  00 

Mason  work, 

488  00 

Carpenter  work, 

589  00 

Plastering, 

263  50 

A  bell. 

102  00 

Sundry  articles  for  the  Altar, 

107  00 

Three  Stoves, 

45  75 

Fuel,  and  two  days  labor. 

14  00 

LeClaire's  Second  Addition  was 

laid  out  in  May.    It  ex- 

tended  East  from  Brady  street,  and  included  sixteen  blocks 

PAST  AND  PRESENT,  75 


of  ten  lots  each.  Some  sixty  lots  were  sold  the  first  week, 
on  all  of  which  the  purchasers  bound  themselves  to  erect 
dwellings  in  time,  varying  from  six  to  twelve  months. 

The  District  Court  held  its  second  session  in  May.  But 
little  business  was  done,  and  there  was  not,  we  are  told,  a 
"single  indictment  against  a  resident  of  Scott  county." 
Good  for  the  morals  of  our  worthy  predecessors. 

In  the  August  election  of  this  year,  there  were  three 
tickets  put  in  nomination.  One  from  Davenport,  another 
at  Rockingham,  and  a  third  called  the  Union  ticket.  The 
Rockingham  faction  elected  their  Representatives — Laurel 
Summers  and  J.  M.  Robertson — two  out  of  the  three  County 
Commissioners;  Treasurer,  Ira  Cook;  Assessor,  and  most 
of  the  lesser  officers.  Davenport  elected  A.  F.  Russel, 
Surveyor,  and  J.  Work,  County  Commissioner. 

The  Davenport  Ticket  for  Representatives  were  G.  C.  R. 
Mitchell  and  Abner  Beard.  The  election  turned  mainly 
upon  the  County  Seat  difficulty;  and  it  is  seen  that  Rock- 
ingham this  time  was  ahead.  This  was  owing  to  a  union 
with  the  town  of  LeClaire  ; — the  latter  place  being  induced 
to  work  against  Davenport,  in  order  to,  at  some  future  time, 
secure  a  division  of  the  county,  with  LeClaire  as  County 
Seat.  To  assist  in  bringing  this  about  was  the  price  paid 
by  Rockingham  to  LeClaire  for  its  assistance — and  most 
egregiously  were  our  up-river  friends  of  LeClaire  humbug- 
ged by  this  promise. 

The  level  established  by  the  town  Council,  from  which 
all  grades  were  to  be  taken,  was  the  "south  door  sill"  of 
Antoine  LeClaire's  store  on  Front  street.  "When  anything 
was  reported  as  being  so  much  above  or  below  level,  it 
was  understood  to  mean  simply  so  much  above  or  below 
the  said  door  sill.  The  same  meeting  organized  the  first 
Fire  Department.  This  consisted  in  obliging  every  man 
inhabiting  a  house  to  have  in  his  possession  two  fire-buckets, 
and  to  use  them  in  case  of  a  fire. 


76  ■  DAVENPORT 


The  original  Temperance  Society  made  its  appearance 
about  this  time.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Turner  claims  its  paternity. 
lie  lectured  twice  so  powerfully,  that  his  total  abstinance 
pledge  received  fifty-six  signatures  at  once.  The  Mayor, 
Mr.  Bennett,  was  its  first  President,  upon  its  organization, 
August  sixth.  It  commenced  with  some  eighty  members. 
A  "Female  Seminary"  was  opened  in  September  by  the 
Misses  O'llara.  The  "  Davenport  Forum"  also  made  its 
debut  about  this  time.  The  "  Rock  Island  Seminary"  was 
also  in  existence  at  this  time,  under  the  care  of  Rev.  M. 
Hummer.  A  common  school  was  also  opened  about  the 
same  time  by  a  Mr.  Blood. 

About  the  first  of  October,  or  thereabouts,  a  steam  ferry 
boat  was  started  between  this  place  and  Stephenson  by 
John  Wilson.  It  was  a  small  institution,  comparatively, 
but  was  infinitely  superior  to  the  flat  boats  which  had 
hitherto  labored  between  the  two  places. 

N'ovember  sixth  was  a  dark  day  in  the  calendar  of  events 
— ^for  it  is  marked  as  one  upon  which  the  gifted  "Wm.  B. 
Conway,  Secretary  of  the  Territory,  departed  from  his 
sphere  of  usefulness,  and  from  the  presence  of  friends  and 
admirers,  "to  return  no  more."  He  died  at  Burlington, 
and  his  body  was  received  here  on  the  ninth,  by  a  Commit 
tee  appointed  for  the  purpose,  and  was  conveyed  to  St. 
Anthony's  Church,  where  the  solemn  services  for  the  dead 
were  performed  by  the  Rev.  Father  Pelamorgues.  A  meet- 
ing was  held  on  the  morning  of  the  ninth,  whose  proceed- 
ings are  given  in  full : 

Public  Meeting. — At  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Dav- 
enport, convened  at  Davenport  Hotel  on  Saturday,  Nov.  9, 
1839,  to  testify  their  respect  for  the  memory  of  William  B. 
Conway  deceased,  late  Secretary  of  the  Territory  of  Iowa, 
T.  S.  Hoge  was  called  to  the  chair,  and  G.  C.  R.  Mitchell 
appointed  Secretary. 

On  motion,  it  was  ordered   that  John   H.    Thorington, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  77 


Thomas  S.  lloge,  Duncan  C.  Eldredge,  Ira  Cook,  G.  C.  R. 
Mitchell,  Richard  Pearce,  Antoine  Le  Claire  and  John 
Owens,  be  appointed  a  Committee  to  make  the  necessary 
arrangements  for  the  funeral  of  the  deceased,  and  also  to 
draft  and  report  resolutions  expressive  of  the  sense  of  this 
meeting. 

The  committee  having  retired  for  a  short  time  reported 
the  following  resolutions  which  were  unanimously  adopted. 

Resolved,  That  this  meeting  has  heard  with  the  most 
profound  regret  of  the  death  of  William  B.  Conway,  Esq. 
late  Secretary  of  the  Territory  of  Iowa.  Possessing  a 
mind  richly  cultivated  and  improved,  a  disposition  amiable 
and  kind,  he  was  generous  and  hospitable ;  of  manners 
the  most  bland  and  courteous,  respected,  honored  and  be- 
loved by  all  who  knew  him.  We  feel  that  in  his  death 
tills  neighborhood  has  lost  its  brightest  ornament  and  the 
Territory  one  of  its  ablest  and  most  worthy  officers  and 
highly  valued  citizens. 

2.  Resolved,  That  this  meeting  sincerely  condole  with 
the  tamily  of  the  deceased,  in  their  severe  and  deep  afflic- 
tion, and  pray  that  He  who  tempers  the  blast  to  the  shorn 
lamb,  may  support  and  protect  them. 

8.  Resolved,  That  as  a  mark  of  respect  for  the  memory 
of  the  deceased,  we  will  wear  the  usual  badge  of  mourning 
for  thirty  days. 

4.  Resolved,  That  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting  be 
signed  by  the  chairman  and  Secretary,  and  the  Iowa  Sun 
and  other  papers  throughout  the  Territory  be  requested  to 
publish  the  same. 

5.  Resolved,  That  Antoine  LeClaire  and  G.  C.  E. 
Mitchell  be  and  they  are  hereby  appointed  a  committee  to 
deliver  a  copy  of  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting  to  the  re- 
spected Widow  of  the  deceased. 

TIL  S.  IIOGE,   Chairman. 
G.  C.  R.  Mitchell,  Secretary. 


DAVENPORT 


On  the  eleventh,  a  meeting  of  the  Bar  of  the  Territory  of 
Iowa  was  held  at  Burlington  to  testify  respect  to  the 
memory  of  the  deceased,  and  the  following  was  their  ex- 
pression. 

"  A  distressing  dispensation  of  Providence  having  de- 
prived us  of  the  society  of  one  of  our  body,  whom,  during 
his  residence  among  us,  we  had  learned  warmly  to  esteem, 
we  feel  called  upon  to  express  our  deep  regret  for  his  un- 
timely death,  and  of  the  estimation  which  his  amiable  and 
excellent  qualities  universally  commanded.      Therefore — 

Resolved,  That  our  brother,  the  late  William  B.  Conway, 
had,  by  his  amiable  manners,  unexceptionable  deportment, 
as  a  member  of  the  Bar,  greatly  endeared  himself  to  his 
associates,  the  members  of  the  Bar,  of  the  Territory,  gen- 
erally. 

Resolved,  That  by  his  death  the  Bar  has  been  deprived 
of  an  able  member,  the  Territory  of  a  faithful  officer  and 
valuable  citizen,  ourselves  of  a  devoted  friend,  and  his  wife 
and  child  of  their  only  protector. 

Resolved.,  That  we  take  this  method  of  expressing  our 
deep  regret  at  his  untimely  death,  and  of  our  condolence 
with  the  relatives  of  the  deceased,  and  of  bearing  testimo- 
ny to  his  many  virtues. 

Resolved,  That  we  testify  our  respect  for  the  memory 
of  our  deceased  brother  by  wearing  the  usual  badge  of 
mourning  for  thirty  days. 

Resolved,  That  David  Rorer,  Esq.,  present  these  resolu- 
tions to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  Territory  for  the  purpose 
of  having  them  entered  on  the  record  of  the  Court. 

CIFAKLES  MASON,  Chairman. 

"Wm.  J.  A.  Bradford,  Secretary. 

Burlington,  Nov.  11,  1839. 

A  paint  shop,  by  Riddle  &  Morton,  a  wagon  shop,  by  S. 
P.  Whitney,  and  a  drug  store,  by  C.  Lesslie,  were  opened 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  79 


this  year,  and  were  the  "  first"  of  each  kind.  Four 
churches  were  also  organized — Congregational,  Disciple, 
Baptist,  and  Catholic. 


80  DAVENPORT 


CHAPTER    Vill. 

Close  of  1839 — Missouri  War— Financial  Statement  of  year  1839 — New  Election 
for  County  Seat — Result. 

The  celebrated  "Missouri  "War"  is  ascribed  to  about  this 
date.  It  arose  from  a  dispute  in  regard  to  boundary — two 
lines  having  been  run.  The  northern  one  cut  oif  a  strip  of 
Iowa  some  six  or  eight  miles  in  width,  and  from  this  portion 
Missouri  endeavored  to  collect  taxes.  The  inhabitants  re- 
fused to  pay  them,  and  the  Missouri  authorities  endeavored, 
by  sending  a  Sheriff,  to  enforce  payment.  A  fight  ensued, 
and  an  lowau  was  killed,  and  several  taken  prisoners.  The 
news  spread  along  the  River  counties  and  created  intense 
excitement.  War  was  supposed  to  be  impending,  or  to 
have  actually  begun. 

Col.  Dodge,  an  individual  somewhat  noted  as  the  one 
who,  in  connection  with  Theller,  had  been  imprisoned  by 
the  Canadian  authorities  for  a  participation  in  the  "  Patriot 
"War,"  had  lately  arrived  here,  after  breaking  jail  in 
Canada.  His  arrival  was  opportune — a  call  for  volunteers 
to  march  against  Missouri  was  circulated,  and  was  re- 
sponded to  by  some  three  hundred  men,  who  made  Daven- 
port their  rendezvous  on  the  proposed  day  of  marching. 
A  motley  crowd  was  it !  Arms  were  of  every  kind 
imaginable,  from  pitchforks  to  blunderbusses,  and  Queen 
Anne  Muskets.  One  of  the  Colonels  wore  a  common  rusty 
grass  scythe  for  a  sword,  while  Capt.  Higginson,  of  Com- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT. 


81 


pany  A,  had  been  fortunate  enough  to  find  an  old  sword 
that  an  Indian  had  pawned  for  whisky,  which  he  elegantly 
belted  around  him  with  a  heavy  log  chain. 

The  Parade  ground  was  in  front  of  the  ground  now  occu- 
pied by  the  Scott  House.  Refreshments  were  plenty,  and 
"steam"  was  being  rapidly  developed  for  a  start,  when 
word  came  that  peace  was  restored — Missouri  having  re- 
signed her  claim  to  the  disputed  ground.  The  army  was 
immediately  disbanded,  in  a  style  that  would  do  honor  to 
the  palmiest  revels  of  Bacchus.  Speeches  were  made, 
toasts  drunk,  and  a  host  of  manoeuvers,  not  in  the  military 
code,  were  performed,  to  the  great  amusement  of  all.  Some 
in  the  excess  of  patriotism  and  whisky,  started  on  alone  to 
Missouri,  but  lay  down  in  the  road  before  traveling  far,  and 
slept  away  their  valor.  A  private,  named  Gunn,  was 
found  hacking  a  log,  with  his  gun  and  sword  bent  nearly 
double,  under  the  impression  that  the  inanimate  body  was 
a  Missourian. 

Frequent  allusions  have  been  made,  thus  far,  to  the 
many  "good  times"  had  by  the  old  settlers.  It  will  not 
be  inferred  from  it  that  they  were  dissipated  or  drunkards. 
Far  from  it.  Some  of  the  brightest  lights  now  in  the 
Church,  at  the  Bar,  and  in  private  life,  are  those  very  men. 
They  but  complied  with  the  character  of  the  times,  while 
absent  from  social  refinements,  and  the  elegance  of  older 
towns ;  almost  all  strangers  to  each  other,  and  craving  for 
that  excitement,  which  now  is  indulged  in  the  intercourse 
of  hosts  of  friends,  and  friendly  relations  of  long  standing, 
they  could  not  well  do  otherwise  than  they  did.  Mostly 
men  from  large  cities,  they  were  ennuied  by  the  compar- 
ative quiet  of  a  frontier  life,  and  to  vary  their  listless  lives 
resorted  to  stimulants,  or  whatever  else  would  afford  ex- 
citement. 

The  following  was  the  financial  condition  of  Scott  county 
at  the  beginning  of  the  year  1840.     It  will  show  as  well  or 
11 


82 


DAVENPORT 


better  than  anything  else,  the  condition  and  growth  of  the 
county  for  the  year  past.  As  such  facts  are  important,  an 
apology  is  not  deemed  necessary  for  the  introduction  of 
the  entire  statement  as  made  by  the  Commissioners. 

RECEIPTS. 

Received   for    licenses   to   merchants, 

grocers,   tavern    keepers,    ferries 

and  pedlars,  $  369  49 

Received  on  account  of  tax  list  of  1 838,      649  53 

"  onaccountof  tax  list  of  1839,    1410  92 

"         for  fines  and  docket  fees,  149  00 


12578  94 

EXPENDITURES. 

For  expenses  of  laying  out  new  roads, 

"  of  meetings  of  Commissioners, 

"  rent  of  room  for  District  Court  for 

Commissioners  and  Clerks, 
"  of  elections  for  1838, 

"  extra  services  of  Sherifi",  1838, 

"  a  «  u  1839, 

*'  of  District  Court  for  1838, 

«  "  "        "  1839, 

"  of  printing, 

"  books,    stationary,  and   furniture 

for  offices,  89  73 

"  service  of  Clerk  of  board  of  Com- 

missioners, 163  00 

"  of  elections  for  1839,  91  10 

"  taking  and  keeping  prisoners,  115  12 

"  of  assessing  property,  1839,  64  00 

"  map  of  Scott  county,  10  00 


$360  25 

196 

00 

136 

50 

12 

00 

30 

00 

53 

26 

21 

10 

257 

50 

13 

00 

PAST  AND  PRESENT. 


83 


For  expenses  paid  for  support  of  poor, 

Attorney's  Fee, 

laying  out  a  territorial  road  from 
Davenport  to  County  Seat  of 
Linn  county, 

amount  refunded  on  account  of 
excessive  tax,  1838, 

amount  refunded  on  account  of 
excessive  tax,  1839, 

amount  paid  treasurer  for  his  com- 
mission for  the  years  1838  and 
1839, 


36  00 
25  00 


113  50 

30  00 

8  15 

79  42 

$1804  63 


STATEMENT  OF   THE    FINANCES   OF  SCOTT   COUNTY,  JAN.  1,  1840. 

The  Board  of  Commissioners  have  made  allow- 
ances on  sundry  accounts  in  the  j^ears  1838 
and  1839,  amounting  in  all  to  $2506  71 

Of  which  amount  the  Treasurer  has  paid  2140  91 

And  his  vouchers  have  been  examined  and  can- 
celled. 

Leaving  the  sum  of  365  80 

Yet  due  from  the  County  to  individuals,  as  ap- 
pears from  the  books  of  said  Commissioners. 

There  is  to  be  added  to  the  above  amount  of 
$2506  71  the  sum  of  $79  42,  for  amount  of 
commission  paid  Treasurer,  79  42 

The  county  has  received  from  sundry  sources  in 
the  years  1838  and  1839,  as  will  appear  from 
reference  to  the  statements  published,  the 
sum  of  $3076  47 

By  the  above  statement  it  will  be  seen  that  there  is  in 
the  County  Treasury,  at  this  time,  the  sum  of  $856  14,  and 
that  there  is  yet  due  from  the  County  to  individuals,  the 


84  DAVENPORT 


sum  of  $305  80,  leaving  a  balance  in  the  County  Treasury, 
subject  to  future  disposition  by  the  Commissioners,  of 
§490  34. 

JOHN"  WOEK, 

A.  VV.  CAMPBELL, 
ALFRED  CARTER, 

Jxock'mgham,  Jan.  9,  1840.  County  Commissioners. 

In  January  a  call  for  a  meeting  to  organize  an  Agricul- 
tural Society,  was  put  forth  by  A.  LeClaire,  G.  C.  R. 
Mitchell,  andJames  Hall.  The  call  was  responded  to,  and 
a  Society  organized  by  appointing  A.  McGregor  President, 
G.  C.  R.  Mitchell  Vice  President,  John  Forrest  Secretary, 
A.  LeClaire  Treasurer,  and  C.  Rowe,  James  Hall,  E.  L. 
Davis,  J.  L.  B.  Franks,  Isaac  Hawley,  Ira  Cook,  and 
Thomas  Dillon,  Directors. 

The  river  did  not  close  opposite  Davenport  until  January 
14th.  It,  however,  closed  above  the  upper  rapids  in  Decem- 
ber, and  at  Burlington  January  first. 

The  several  township  elections  were  held  in  April.  John 
H.  Thoriugton  was  elected  Mayor,  Frazer  Wilson  Recorder, 
and  Geo.  L.  Davenport,  S.  F.  "Whiting,  J.  "VV.  Parker,  John 
Forrest,  and  William  Nichols,  Trustees. 

The  river  opened  March  first,  and  emigrants  began  to 
arrive  immediately.  There  were,  at  the  time,  about  one 
hundred  houses  in  the  village. 

In  May  of  this  year  the  land  sales  for  the  original  Du- 
buque county  were  held  at  Dubuque.  Almost  the  entire 
Claim  Confederation  attended,  "  armed  to  the  teeth,"  in 
order  to  prevent  operations  from  speculators.  G.  C.  R. 
Mitchell,  Esq.,  was  appointed  bidder  for  the  Confederation, 
and  as  fast  as  the  lots  were  put  up  they  were  struck  off  at 
one  dollar  twenty-five  cents  per  acre.  An  Adjudicating 
Committee  was  appointed  from  the  Confederation,  before 
whom  all  disputes,  in  regard  to  claims,  were  settled,  and 
thus  the  matter  was  speedily  and  harmoniously  settled. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT. 


85 


Two  Patents,  covering  the  old  town  limits,  were  given,  one 
in  1840,  and  the  other  in  1841. 

In  July  the  Supreme  Court  gave  its  decision  upon  the 
application  of  certain  persons  in  Eockingham  for  a  writ  of 
mandamus  against  the  Dubuque  Commissioners,  command- 
ing them  to  make  an  entry  upon  their  minutes  to  the  effect 
that  Rockingham  was  the  County  Seat, 
the  order  of  the  Court : 


The  following  is 


SUPREME  COURT,  lOWA  TERRITORY,  JULY  TERM,  1840. 

The  United  States  at  the  relation  of 
James  H.  Davenport,  et  al, 
versus 
The  County  Commissioners  of 
Dubuque  County : 
And  now  this  day  came  the  parties,  by  their  Attornies, 
and  the  arguments  of  Council  being  concluded,  and  all  the 
premises  being  fully  examined  into,  and  being  understood 
by  the  Court :     It  is  ordered  by  the  Court  here,  that  the 
motion  of  the  relators  be  refused,  and  that  the  defendants 
go   hence  without  day,  and  recover  of  said  relators  the 
costs  of  the  Court  in  this  behalf  expended,  for  which  ex- 
ecution may  issue. 

I  do  hereby  certify,  that  the  above  is  a  true  copy  of  an 
order  made  in  the  above  entitled  cause,  as  appears  on  the 
records  of  the  said  Supreme  Court. 

In  witness  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my 
[Seal.]         hand  and  affixed  the  temporary  seal  of  said 
Supreme  Court,  this  tenth  day  of  July,  1840. 
THORNTON  BAYLESS,  Clerk, 

Supreme  Court,  Iowa  Territory. 
The  Court  stated,  in  its  opinion,  that  "  we  are  clearly  of 
opinion  that  we  have  no  jurisdiction  over  the  matter,  and 
the  motion  for  a  peremptory  mandamus  will,  of  course,  be 
denied." 


86  DAVENPORT 


A  petition  signed  by  three  hundred  and  twenty-six  in- 
habitants of  Scott  county,  was  immediately  sent  to  the 
Legislature.  It  prayed  for  a  new  election.  An  Act  was 
passed,  in  wdiich  was  provided,  that  an  election  for  County 
Seat  of  Scott  county  should  be  held  on  the  fourth  Monday 
in  August,  and  that  the  electors  should  vote  for  Davenport 
or  Rockingham,  or  the  north-west  fractional  quarter  of  sec- 
tion number  thirty-four,  township  number  seventy-eight, 
north  of  range  four,  east  of  the  fifth  principal  meridian. 
This  latter  point  w^as  at  the  mouth  of  Duck  Creek,  and 
was  an  unimproved  portion  of  land  of  some  ninety  acres, 
which  was  to  be  donated,  if  it  were  decided  that  this 
should  be  the  County  Seat. 

A  bond  was  entered  into,  by  many  of  our  citizens,  agree- 
ing to  give  certain  lots,  or  monies,  if  Davenport  should  be 
selected.  Mr.  LeClaire  agrees  in  it  to  give  certain  speci- 
fied lots,  or  three  thousand  dollars  in  money — G.  Daven- 
port certain  lots,  or  twelve  hundred  dollars.  A  very  lib- 
eral subscription  of  sums  ranging  from  five  to  five  hundred 
dollars,  was  made  over  to  the  County  Treasurer  in  the 
form  of  a  bond.  To  make  the  matter  doubly  sure,  a  bond 
was  entered  into  with  the  County  by  Messrs.  A.  LeClaire, 
Geo.  Davenport,  A.  W.  McGregor,  J.  H.  Thorington,  John 
Owens,  Harvey  Leonard,  James  Hall,  R.  Mcintosh,  Jr., 
and  "Wm.  ISTichols,  in  which  they  agreed  to  erect  the  Court 
House  and  Jail  free  of  expense  to  the  County,  upon  con- 
dition that  the  other  bond  should  be  made  over  to  them. 

On  the  twenty-fourth  of  August  the  election  was  held. 
Davenport  received  three  hundred  and  eighteen  votes,  and 
the  point  at  the  mouth  of  Duck  Creek  two  hundred  and 
twenty-one,  giving  the  former  a  majority  of  ninety-seven. 
Rockingham  voted  against  Davenport,  with  the  exception 
of  sixteen  votes.  This  vote  put  a  quietus  on  the  matter, 
and  terminated  the  long  and  spirited  contest  which  had 
raged  for  over  two  years.     It  was  not  without  its  useful- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  87 


ness,  for  it  developed  the  publie-spiritedness  of  both  places, 
and  gave  to  all  engaged  in  it  a  very  memorable  lesson  on 
the  philosophy  of  Expenditures.  It  would  be  a  heavy  sum 
that  would  give  the  total  of  monies  expended,  liquor  drank, 
2i\\di  finesse  wasted  in  the  conflict. 

Party  lines  began  to  be  drawn  somewhat  at  the  local 
election  of  October.  A.  C.  Dodge,  Democratic  Delegate 
to  Congress,  received  at  the  same  election  two  hundred 
and  sixty-two  votes  ;  Rich,  the  Whig  candidate,  received 
one  hundred  and  seventy-two  in  the  County.  J.  W.  Parker 
was  elected  to  the  Council  over  James  Grant,  by  a  majority 
of  four.  Laurel  Summers  and  J.  M.  Robertson,  Repre- 
sentatives; A.  H.  Davenport,  SheriiF;  J.  D.  Evans,  Re- 
corder ;  Ira  Cook,  Treasurer ;  Ebenezer  Cook,  Judge  of 
Probate,  and  E.  Parkhurst,  Public  Administrator.  It  was 
not,  however,  until  1842  that  separate  Whig  and  LocoFoco 
tickets  were  put  in  nomination,  and  party  lines  distinctly 
drawn. 

The  subject  of  a  Western  Armory  was  much  talked  of  at 
this  time.  Among  other  points  Rock  Island  was  prominent, 
as  one  affording  facilities  for  the  establishment  of  such  an 
institution.  Fuel  in  abundance — immense  water-power, 
facilities  for  shipment  of  materials,  the  healthfulness  of  the 
location,  its  connection,  by  the  Mississippi,  with  important 
places,  and  the  seaboard,  were  reasons  justly  urged  for  the 
selection  of  this  point.  Meetings  were  held,  the  usual 
preamble  and  resolutions  were  passed,  in  all  places  in  the 
West.  A  committee  from  Washington  made  an  examina- 
tion of  Rock  Island,  and  other  places,  but  nothing  ever  re- 
sulted from  it. 

The  subject  of  a  Bank  in  Davenport  was  also  much 
agitated,  but  nothing  ever  came  of  it  more  than  speeches, 
memorials  and  resolutions. 

A  prominent  institution  of  these  times  was  the  Daven- 
port Lyceum,     Every  week  they  discussed  this  thing  or 


DAVENPORT 


that — including  questions  of  every  nature,  social,  political 
or  moral.  It  was  doubtless  the  origin  of  much  good.  It  is 
to  be  inferred,  however,  that  in  course  of  time  they  de- 
scended from  the  high  plane  of  purpose  which  they  originally 
stood  upon,  for,  the  following  notice  appears  in  the  Decem- 
ber number  of  the  Sun  : 

"  Our  Lyceum  is  becoming  the  subject  of  ridicule  to 
many  persons  in  our  village,  Ko  subject,  they  saj',  can  be 
discussed,  but  such  as  will  tickle  the  fancy  of  weak  females. 
Our  Lyceum,  it  is  true,  converts  what  should  be  a  hall  of 
science,  into  a  room  to  panegyrize  the  ladies  ;  and,  indeed, 
we  have  heard  the  most  fulsome  eulogies  passed  upon  their 
character,  in  order  to  acquire  the  approving  smiles  of  those 
present.  If  courtship  is  a  science,  then  indeed  is  our 
Lyceum  a  most  excellent  school." 

The  records  of  all  time,  from  the  case  of  Adam  to  that  of 
Cleopatra,  and  down  to  the  Davenport  Lyceum,  are  instinct 
with  precedent  and  examples  of  men  who  have  sacrificed 
upon  the  altar  of  feminity. 

From  the  report  of  the  County  Commissioners,  at  the 
close  of  1840,  we  learn  that  the  receipts  of  the  County  were 
one  thousand  six  hundred  thirty-five  dollars  and  six  cents, 
and  its  expenditures  two  thousand  one  hundred  twenty-one 
dollars  and  thirty-seven  cents.  Davenport  possessed  at 
the  time  a  population  of  about  six  hundred.  LeClaire 
House  was  finished  at  an  expense  of  thirty-five  thousand 
dollars,  and  was  by  far  the  finest  hotel  on  the  Upper  Mis- 
sissippi. Beneath  it  was  a  Reading  Room,  which,  under 
the  enterprise  of  Mr.  Eldredge,  afforded  some  thirty  or 
forty  leading  papers  ;  and  a  Barber  Shop  and  Post  Office. 
It  was  the  grand  center  of  attraction  for  everybody,  and 
did  more,  perhaps,  to  promote  the  growth  of  intellectual 
intercourse  than  any  other  influence.  Its  capacious  par- 
lors, reading  rooms,  its  superiority  in  the  elegancies  of  life 
to  anything  else  in  the  West,  made  it  deservedly  attractive, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  89 


and  liiglilj  beneficial  in  its  influences.  Mr.  LeClaire  de- 
serves no  little  honor  for  the  liberal  plan  upon  which  he 
conceived  and  executed  LeClaire  House — for  its  comple- 
tion done  more  to  build  up  the  place  than  anything  else  of 
the  day. 

When  it  is  considered  that  since  the  commencement  of 
the  town,  the  entire  Union  was  staggering  under  the  effects 
of  the  financial  crisis  of  1837  ;  and  that  communication 
with  the  East  was  a  long  and  tedious  operation,  the  growth 
of  Davenport  is  wonderful,  and  demonstrates  most  fully, 
that  it  was  based  entirely  upon  a  substantial  and  perma- 
nent base.  Had  Davenport  been  a  mere  paper  town,  its 
beauty  and  healthfulness  of  location  a  myth,  its  advantages 
fictitious,  it  must,  at  that  time,  have  become  prostrated. 
On  the  contrary,  it  gradually  increased — everything  con- 
nected with  it  being  so  substantial  and  real,  that  capitalists 
everywhere  confidently  invested  in  it,  and  as  confidently 
improved  their  possessions. 


12 


90  DAVENPORT 


CHAPTER    IX. 

1841 — Finances — The  Village — Duel — Court  House  and  Jail — Dayenport 
Gazette — Prince  De  Joinville — First  Things — 1842 — Temperance — Bank 
— Population — Judge  Williams — Bible  Society — Elections — 1843 — Churches 
— Elections — Major  Wm.  Gordon — 1844 — Elections — Stage  Lines — 1845 — 
Murder  of  Col.  Davenport^Indian  Ceremony. 

STATEMENTS    OF    THE    RECEIPTS    AND    EXPENDITURES    OF    THE 
COUNTY  OF  SCOTT,  FOR  THE  YEAR  ENDING  JAN.  1,  1841. 

RECEIPTS. 

Eeceived  for   licenses  to   merchants, 

pedlars,  grocers,  and  fines,  $571  82 

Received  on  account  of  tax  list  of  1839,  131  81 

"       on  account  oftax  list  of  1840,  748  05 

"       for  fines  and  docket  fees,  178  50 

"        from  Sheriif,  for  estrays  sold,  4  88 


$1635  06 

EXPENDITURES. 

For  laying  out  County  roads,  $117  50 

"     laying  out  Territorial  roads,  315  31 

"     rent   of  rooms  for  District  Court,  for  Com- 

mis-sioners  and  Clerks,  96  00 

"     expenses  of  election  1840,  118  50 

"     extra  services  of  Sheriflf  1840,  88  50 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  91 


186 

62 

89 

00 

117  40 

81 

15 

201 

50 

197 

28 

25  00 

125 

31 

263 

12 

For  expenses  of  printing,  books,   stationery,  and 

furniture  for  offices,  99  17 

"  services  of  the  Clerk  of  the  Board  of  County 
Commissioners, 

"     expenses  of  assessing  1840, 

"     support  of  poor, 

"     amount  refunded  for  excessive  tax, 

"     expenses  of  meeting  of  Commissioners, 

"     expenses  of  taking  and  keeping  prisoners, 

"     Attorney's  fees, 

"     costs  against  the  County, 

"     expenses  of  District  Court  1840, 

$2121  37 
A.  W.  CAMPBELL, 
JOHN  G.  QUINN, 
JOHN  WORK, 

County  Commissioners. 
Davenport,  Jan.  7,  1841. 

The  River  opened  March  fourteenth.  At  the  April 
election,  J.  W.  Parker  was  elected  Mayor,  John  Pope 
Recorder,  and  J.  M.  Witherwax,  Harvey  Leonard,  T.  K. 
Mills,  T.  McLosky,  and  Seth  F.  Whitney,  Trustees. 

The  condition  of  the  village,  yet  laboring  from  the 
effects  of  the  "crisis"  of  '37,  may  be  well  understood  from 
the  following  extract  from  an  April  number  of  the  Sun : 

"  The  times  are  hard,  and  business  of  all  kinds  dull. 
Money,  even  counterfeit  paper,  and  bogus,  have  almost 
totally  disappeared.  (No  other  money  having  been  current 
here  since  the  last  land  sales.)  Emigrants  continue  to 
pour  into  the  Promised  Land  by  tens,  hundreds,  and 
thousands — filling  up  the  back  country  with  an  industrious 
and  enterprising  population. 

Notwithstanding  all  these  evils,  and  many  others  of  an 
embarrassing  nature,  frame  buildings  are  going  up  daily, 


92  DAVENPORT 


and  several  Lriok  dwellings  are  being  erected.  Our  mer- 
chants are  not  doing  so  good  a  business  as  we  could  wish, 
owing  to  the  scarcity  and  uncertainty  of  money,  but  still 
we  believe  that  those  who  advertise  most  liberally  do  a  re- 
spectable business. 

Six  hundred  dollars  was  paid  for  barrels  and  hogshead 
alone,  by  one  house,  in  this  place,  to  coopers  at  Cincinnati, 
Ohio.  This  money  would  have  remained  amongst  us  if 
coopers  had  been  here  to  perform  the  work.  A  good 
cooper  is  much  wanted  here.  Blacksmiths  are  said  to  be 
also  in  demand.  A  hatter  could  not  find  a  more  advan- 
tageous locatton  in  any  part  of  the  earth  than  this  place 
presents  at  present.  There  are  about  one  thousand  heads 
in  this  country  to  cover,  and  no  hatter  in  the  Territory 
above  Burlington.  Furs,  and  other  articles  for  manufac- 
turing hats,  can  be  procured  here  in  abundance.  To  be 
sure,  coon  skins  have  commanded  an  extravagant  price  for 
the  last  six  or  eight  months,  but  as  soon  as  the  log  cabin 
delusion  subsides,  we  opine  that  coon  furs  will  depreciate 
as  fast  as  irredeemable  bank  paper.  We,  therefore,  advise 
a  hatter,  a  cooper,  and  a  blacksmith,  to  locate  in  our 
pleasant,  healthy,  and  thriving  village." 

A  duel,  the  second  on  record  in  Iowa,  and  the  first 
among  white  men,  occurred  in  this  year,  between  Messrs. 
Egnor  and  Fitoh.  Love,  as  is  the  case  generally,  was  the 
cause  of  the  emeuie,  and  pistols  alone  could  quell  it.  They 
met  early  one  morning  on  the  banks  of  a  stream  below 
Davenport — which  stream,  in  consequence,  has  been  im- 
mortalized as  "Bloody  Run."  They  fired,  and  returned 
to  the  city  unharmed,  save  that  Egnor' s  arm  was  bandaged, 
and  carried  in  a  sling.  Posterity  is  divided  in  regard  to 
the  nature  of  the  wound — a  minority  asserting  that  it  was 
caused  by  a  bullet,  while  the  remainder  assert  that  neither 
pistol  had  anything  more  deadly  in  it  than  powder  and 
waddin«c. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  93 


Eeaclers  who  have  perused  the  account  of  the  "  First 
Duel,"  spoken  of  in  a  previous  chapter,  will  doubtless  see 
much  more  to  admire  in  the  first  than  in  the  second 
— although  the  actors  in  the  former  were  the  ignorant,  un- 
civilized Indians. 

The  Court  House  and  Jail  were  finished  this  year,  and 
presented  to  the  County,  free  of  cost,  as  provided  for  in 
the  bond,  before  noticed.  Too  much  honor  cannot  be  given 
to  the  gentlemen  by  whose  liberality  and  enterprise  these 
valuable  privileges  were  conferred  upon  Davenport.  The 
immense  superiority  of  our  place  over  every  other  in  the 
county  would  have  availed  nothing,  had  not  events  been 
controlled  by  a  liberal  expenditure  of  what,  at  that  time, 
was  no  easy  thing  to  obtain,  viz  :  cash. 

In  August  the  Davenport  Weekly  Gazette  was  started  by 
Alfred  Sanders ;  and  it  took  prominence  immediately  in 
Journalism  as  a  finely  printed  and  ably  edited  sheet.  It 
espoused  "Whig  principles,  and  has  occupied  a  leading 
position  in  politics  to  the  present  time.  It  eventually  ex- 
panded into  the  Daily  and  Tri-weekly  and  weekly  Gazette, 
and  has  undoubtedly  amply  remunerated  its  enterprising 
proprietor. 

ISTovember  fourth.  Prince  De  Joinville  and  suit  stopped  a 
short  time  at  LeClaire  House,  while  on  their  travels  West- 
ward. His  freedom  from  ostentation  and  aristocratic  ex- 
clusiveness  was  the  theme  of  general  remark ;  and  -would 
serve  besides  as  an  exemplary  model  to  many  who  unlike 
him  lack  the  privileges  of  lofty  birth,  and  are  unduly 
elevated  by  the  possession  of  wealth.  He  was  strictly  re- 
publican in  his  doings;  and  seemed  always  to  be  simply  a 
gentleman. 

Newhall,  in  1841,  thus  writes  in  regard  to  Davenport : 

"  This  town  was  laid  out  in  1835-6,  on  a  reserve  belong- 
ing to  Antoine  LeClaire,  Esq.  It  is  the  seat  of  justice  for 
Scott  county,  and  is  situated  nearly  opposite  to  the  lower 


94  DAVENPORT 


end  of  Rock  Island,  on  a  handsome  elevation,  with  a  beau- 
tiful range  of  sloping  hills  in  its  rear.  It  is  about  three 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  above  St.  Louis,  by  water,  eighty 
miles  above  Burlington,  and  ninety-five  below  Dubuque. 
The  town  of  Stephenson,  on  the  opposite  shore,  with  the 
glittering  dome  of  its  court  house,  the  mouth  of  Rock 
River  a  few  miles  below,  the  picturesque  and  antiquated 
fortifications  on  Rock  Island,  w^ith  its  beautiful  villa,*  the 
charming  residence  of  LeClaire,  the  magnificent  hotel  over- 
looking the  white  cottages  of  Davenport,  and  the  adjacent 
village  of  Rockingham — all  form  a  combination  of  pic- 
turesque beauty,  seldom  if  ever  surpassed.  I  have  ap- 
proached this  point  from  all  its  bearings,  and  whether 
viewed  from  river  or  bluff",  it  is  like  a  beauteous  picture 
varied  in  all  its  lights  and  shades.  I  well  remember  the 
first  and  lasting  impression  it  produced  upon  my  feelings; 
it  was  on  a  bright  sunny  morning  in  August,  in  the  year 
1836,  the  sun  was  fast  dispelling  the  glittering  dews,  and 
every  drooping  flower  was  lifting  its  smiling  crest ;  on  the 
low^a  shore  might  be  seen  occasionally  a  gaily  painted 
warrior  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  riding  along  the  heights,  his 
painted  form  partiall}'  exposed  to  view  as  his  scarlet  blanket 
waved  to  the  breeze,  his  light  feathers  and  gaudy  trappings 
being  in  admirable  contrast  with  the  verdure-clad  hills ; 
then  did  I  feel  the  utter  incompetency  to  describe  so 
beautiful  a  scene*— then  could  I  have  invoked  the  pencil  of 
the  painter,  or  the  pen  of  the  poet. 

The  distant  reader  may  be  skeptical  concerning  this  high- 
wrought  description.  At  this  I  marvel  not.  The  author 
is  aware  of  the  difficulty  of  conveying  entirely  correct  ideas 
of  a  region  to  those  who  have  never  traveled  beyond  the 
threshold  of  home  ;  especially  in  delineating  this  (in  com- 
mon parlance)  land  of  the  "  squatters ;"  as  if,  forsooth,  the 


*  The  residence  of  Col.  George  Davenport. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT. 


95 


land  of  soug,  of  Arcadian  groves,  and  shady  bowers,  must 
needs  be  in  sunny  Italy,  or  classic  Greece. 

I  will,  however,  add  the  corroborating  testimonj^  of  one 
or  two  graphic  writers,  to  convince  the  reader  that  nature 
here  has  been  lavish  of  her  beauties  as  well  as  her  bounties. 

'  The  country  around  Rock  Island  is,  in  our  opinion,  the 
most  charming  that  the  eye  ever  beheld.  Rock  Island  is, 
of  itself,  one  of  the  greatest  natural  beauties  on  the  Mis- 
sissippi. The  "  old  fort,"  not  to  speak  of  its  military  asso- 
ciation, is,  in  truth,  an  object  on  which  the  eye  delights  to 
dwell.  The  flourishing  town  of  Stephenson,  upon  the 
Illinois  shore,  adds  greatly  to  the  attractions  of  the  scene  ; 
and  Davenport,  with  its  extended  plains,  its  sloping  lawns, 
and  wooded  bluffs,  completes  one  of  the  most  perfect 
pictures  that  ever  delighted  the  eyes  of  man.  The  interior 
of  the  territory  is  rich,  beautiful,  and  productive  from  end 
to  end.  Enterprising  and  industrious  farmers  may  flock  in 
from  all  quarters,  and  find  a  rich  reward  for  moderate  toil. 
The  interior  is  healthy,  and  every  section  of  land  admits  of 
easy  cultivation.' 

A  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Star,  a  gentleman  of 
much  taste,  writing  trom  Rock  Island,  says  : 

"  There  are  some  bright  spots  in  this  rude  world  which 
exceed  our  most  sanguine  expectations,  and  this  is  one  of 
them. 

"  In  beauty  of  the  surrounding  scenery,  both  on  the 
Upper  Mississippi  and  the  Crystal  Rock,  I  have  found 
imaged  all  the  charms  I  had  pictured  in  my  youthful  imag- 
ination while  reading  a  description  of  the  happy  valley  in 
Rasselas,  but  which  I  never  expected  to  see  in  the  world  of 
reality.  The  Father  of  Waters  is  a  giant  even  here,  three 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  above  St.  Louis ;  it  is  estimated  to 
be  over  a  mile  and  a  quarter  wide,  and  is  one  hundred 
miles  below  Dubuque,  and  about  five  hundred  miles  below 
the  head  of  navigation,  at  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony." 


96  DAVENPOllT 


Tlio  location  of  Davenport  is  a  healthy  one.  Its  position, 
near  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  will  cause  it  to  become  a  place 
of  commercial  importance.  Water-power,  building  stone, 
and  bituminous  coal,  are  convenient,  and  a  sufficiency  of 
timber  will  be  found  upon  the  bluffs  and  neighboring 
streams.  It  has  beQn  laid  oiF  on  a  liberal  plan,  evincing  an 
enlightened  judgment  contemplating  the  benefits  to  be 
conferred  upon  future  generations." 

The  question  of  a  location  for  an  Armory  was  again 
agitated  this  year,  and  a  Committee  from  Washington  gave 
the  Island  a  thorough  examination.  Several  families  came 
on  from  the  East  with  a  view  to  a  connection  with  its 
establishment,  but  the  result,  as  heretofore,  was  simply 
reports,  and  no  action. 

In  the  Fall  and  Winter  of  this  year  game  was  abundant 
in  the  county.  A  respectable  marksman  would  average 
two  or  three  deer  per  day,  while  snipe  and  quail  could  be 
bagged  by  the  score. 

The  first  shoe  store  was  opened  this  year  by  L.  B.  Col- 
lamer,  and  a  butcher's  stall  by  a  Mr.  Armitage.  A  harness 
shop  was  also  opened  by  Jacob  Lailor ;  and  the  watch- 
making and  jewelry  business  was  pioneered  by  R.  L. 
Linbaugh.  The  population  at  the  close  of  1841,  was  about 
seven  hundred — and  about  sixty  thousand  bushels  of  wheat 
were  raised  in  the  county,  which  was  worth  from  forty-five 
to  sixty  cents  per  bushel. 

The  year  1842  seems  to  have  improved  rapidly  upon  its 
predecessors  in  many  particulars — one  of  which  was  in  the 
use  of  liquor.  "Tell  your  readers" — says  a  writer  in  the 
Gazette— ^'^  that  a  passenger  yesterday  traveled  all  over 
your  place  without  being  able  to  get  a  glass  of  whisky  !'' 
The  immortal  Capt.  Litch  must  have  rested  uneasily  in  his 
grave  (if  dead,)  at  the  promulgation  of  such  a  heinous 
sentiment  in  his  once  powerful  dominions.  Powerful  must 
have  been  the  rush  of  the  ball  set  in  motion  by  Rev.  Mr. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  97 


Tarner  to  have  so  soon  and  effectually  bowled  down  all 
the  toddy-shops  which  stood  so  thickly  but  a  short  time 
previous. 

By  an  act  approved  in  February  of  this  year,  the  inhab- 
itants of  Davenport  were  incorporated  a  body  politic,  &c., 
under  the  name  of  the  "Mayor  and  Aldermen  of  the  Town 
ot  Davenport."  The  town  was  divided  into  three  wards, 
each  of  which  elected  two  Aldermen.  That  portion  west 
of  Harrison  street  was  the  First  Ward  ;  and  that  lying 
between  Brady  and  Harrison  streets  the  Second,  and  that 
lying  East  of  Brady  street  constituted  the  Third. 

The  Bank  question  was  again  agitated  this  year,  and 
meetings  were  held,  and  reports  published,  but  the  result 
was  the  same — amounting  to  nothing  more  than  simple 
agitation. 

The  population  in  August  amounted  to  eight  hundred 
and  seventeen  ;  and  about  one  hundred  thousand  bushels 
of  wheat  were  raised  in  the  county.  Winter  wheat  was 
raised  in  the  county  which  was  worth  fifty  cents,  and 
Spring  do.  thirty  cents. 

Two  Churches  had  already  been  built ;  and  two  more 
were  in  process  of  erection — Methodist  and  Baptist.  An 
Episcopal  society  was  organized — making  in  all  six  Church 
organizations. 

Judge  Williams  was  re-appointed  as  Judge  of  District 
Court.  His  administration  was  of  a  character  calculated  to 
excite  neither  particular  admiration  nor  dislike. 

The  Scott  County  Bible  Society  was  organized  Septem- 
ber thirteen  of  this  year.  L.  L.  Hoge  was  elected 
President. 

The  Commissioners  appointed  to  report  upon  the  location 
of  a  point  for  a  Western  Armory,  reported  in   favor  of 
Fort  Massac — a  situation  on   the  Ohio  River,  in  Illinois. 
It  is  needless  to  add  that  Fort  Massac  was  not  adopted. 
13 


98  DAVENPORT 


In  the  elections  for  this  year,  E.  Christie  was  elected  to 
the  Council,  and  J.  M.  Robertson  to  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives. 

The  expenses  of  the  County  for  '42  were  two  thousand 
one  hundred  thirty-one  dollars  forty-seven  cents — the  re- 
ceipts were  one  thousand  four  hundred  fifty-eight  dollars 
fifty-two  cents. 

It  will  be  needless  to  dwell  minutely  upon  the  details  of 
each  year — it  is,  therefore,  thought  best  to  hurry  over  the 
prominent  events  of  several  years,  until  one  is  reached 
remarkable  as  an  era  in  the  growth  of  Davenport.  The 
tedious  route  by  which  emigrants  reached  the  place,  pre- 
vented a  development  of  more  than  ordinary  rapidity — and 
it  was  not  until  railroad  connection  with  the  East  had  been 
established  that  those  marvels  in  the  growth  of  the  place 
were  exhibited. 

1843.  Seven  Churches  in  town,  viz:  One  Baptist,  one 
Catholic,  one  Congregationalist,  one  Presbyterian,  one 
Methodist,  one  Episcopal,  and  one  Disciples.  G.  C.  R. 
Mitchell,  for  Representative,  received  two  hundred  and 
forty-one  votes,  and  his  opponent,  James  Grant,  two 
hundred  and  eighteen.  Jas.  Thorington  was  elected  Judge 
of  Probate,  and  the  whole  Whig  Ticket  elected,  with  the 
exception  of  Mr.  Davenport  for  Collector.  County  Re- 
ceipts one  thousand  six  hundred  forty-four  dollars  seventy- 
eight  cents.  Expenditures,  two  thousand  five  hundred 
fifty  dollars  sixty  cents. 

About  this  year  Maj.  William  Gordon,  one  of  the 
original  proprietors  of  Davenport,  disappeared.  He  had 
proceeded  from  St.  Louis  up  the  Missouri  River,  and  the 
last  ever  known  of  him  was  at  a  short  distance  beyond  the 
frontiers.  It  is  supposed  that  he  was  overtaken  by  a  storm, 
and  frozen  to  death.  It  is  believed  by  some  that  he  made 
his  way  to  California,  but  this  lacks  confirmation.      A  per- 


PAST  AND  PKESENT.  99 


son   representing  liim    was   afterward  ascertained   to   be 
another  Gordon. 

He  was  a  remarkable  man — a  Tennesseean  by  birth,  and 
a  son  of  Capt.  Gordon,  who  commanded  a  company  of 
Spies  under  General  Jackson  in  the  Creek  "War.  Major 
Gordon  was  liberally  educated,  and  had  spent  several  years 
in  the  Rocky  Mountains,  in  some  capacity  under  the 
American  Fur  Company. 

He  was  an  elegant  and  engaging  conversationalist — 
spicy,  original,  and  humorous.  His  fund  of  anecdote  was 
endless,  and  of  a  character  that  always  drew  a  crowd  of 
interested  listeners.  There  was  a  small  dash  of  eccentricity 
in  his  character.  Mr.  Davenport,  of  LeClaire,  relates,  that 
upon  one  occasion  he  called  upon  Gordon.  Some  one 
asked  the  latter  for  some  money  to  make  some  purchase  for 
the  company  present.  "Help  yourself,"  said  he,  as  he 
pointed  to  an  inverted  tub  in  the  corner  of  his  cabin. 

He  lifted  the  tub,  and  revealed  the  Major's  "pile,"  to 
the  amount  of  some  fifty  or  sixty  dollars,  lying  under  it ! 
Thus  he  kept  his  money,  and  revealed  by  it  his  confidence 
in  human  nature,  and  those  about  him. 

Some  difficulty  occurred  between  himself  and  another 
resident  of  Davenport  named  Nye.  The  latter  suspected 
the  Major  of  some  attempt  upon  the  liberality  of  his  wife. 
Calling  at  Nye's  house  at  one  time,  Nye  waylaid  him,  and 
as  he  came  out  struck  him  down  with  a  club,  and  then 
stabbed  him.  Gordon  fired  at  Nye,  but  owing  to  damp- 
ness, and  a  thick  coat  worn  by  the  latter,  the  ball  did  not 
penetrate  beyond  the  clothing.  Gordon  was  carried  home, 
and  lay  for  months  unable  to  rise  or  help  himself.  He 
never  used  a  bed,  but  always  slept  and  lay,  during  his  sick- 
ness, on  some  buffalo  robes  on  the  floor,  with  his  feet  to 
the   fire. 

Did  space  permit,  many  interesting  incidents  might 
be  given  relative  to   his  conversational   powers,  his  pas- 


100  DAVENPORT 


sionate  nature,  and  originalities.  At  the  time  of  his 
disappearance  he  was  aged  about  fifty.  lie  was  unmarried 
till  the  later  portion  of  his  life,  and  then  to  one  who  had 
long  lived  with  him  in  every  capacity,  save  the  title  of  wife. 
She  was,  however,  an  affectionate,  and  otherwise  worthy 
woman. 

1844.  In  August,  E.  Cook,  Geo.  B.  Sargent,  and  James 
Jack,  were  nominated  by  the  Whigs  as  candidates  for  the 
Convention  to  form  a  State  Constitution.  Messrs.  Campbell 
and  Grant,  Democrats,  and  E.  Cook,  were  elected. 
Campbell  three  hundred  and  eight  votes,  Grant  two 
hundred  and  ninety-six.  Cook  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
five.  At  the  same  election  the  whole  Democratic  ticket, 
with  the  exception  of  Cook,  was  elected.  County  Re- 
ceipts, three  thousand  nine  hundred  fifty-three  dollars 
seventy-seven  cents — Expenditures,  four  thousand  three 
hundred  eight  dollars  sixty  cents.  (It  will  not  be  supposed 
from  reports  thus  far  given,  that  the  County  was  con- 
tinually falling  behind;  but  on  the  contrary,  the  balance 
was  in  most  cases  in  favor  of  the  county.  The  seeming 
preponderance  of  expenses  over  receipts  arose  from  the 
fact  that  at  the  time  of  making  each  report,  there  was 
always  a  certain  amount  of  taxes  due  and  unpaid.  This 
latter  amount  was  always  large  enough  to  leave  the  balance 
in  favor  of  the  County. 

Stage  lines  wore  established  this  year  to  Dubuque  and 
Burlington,  and  the  contract  obtained  by  Bennet  and 
Lyter. 

1845.  River  closed  February  fifth.  Population  of  town 
one  thousand.  Vote  upon  Constitution  in  April  two 
hundred  and  ninety-one  against,  and  one  hundred  and 
sixty-nine  for,  in  the  county.  Mr.  D.  C.  Eldredge  who  had 
held  the  Post  Office  until  July  resigned,  and  John  Forrest, 
Esq.,  was  appointed  his  successor. 

July  fourth  was  marked  as  being  the  one  upon  which  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  101 


venerable  Col.  Davenport  was  most  cruelly  murdered. 
Particulars  of  the  sad  aiFair  will  be  given  in  his  Biography. 
He  was  a  favorite  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  ;  and  appended  is 
a  ceremony,  which  was  performed  over  his  grave.  It  is 
from  the  ready  pen  of  Alfred  Sanders,  Esq. : 

"An  Indian  Ceremony. — On  last  Friday  afternoon  we 
wer&  witness  to  a  strange  and  interesting  ceremony  per- 
formed by  the  Indians  over  the  remains  of  Mr.  Davenport, 
who  was  murdered  at  his  residence  on  Rock  Island  on  the 
4th  inst.  Upon  proceeding  to  the  beautiful  spot  selected 
as  his  last  resting  place,  in  the  rear  of  his  mansion  on  Rock 
Island,  we  found  the  War  Chief  and  braves  of  the  band  of 
Fox  Indians,  then  encamped  in  the  vicinity  of  this  place, 
reclining  on  the  grass  around  his  grave,  at  the  head  of 
which  was  planted  a  white  cedar  post  some  seven  or  eight 
feet  in  height. 

The  ceremony  began  by  two  of  the  braves  rising  and 
walking  to  the  post,  upon  which,  with  paint,  they  began 
to  inscribe  certain  characters,  while  a  third  brave,  armed 
with  an  eniblematic  war  club,  after  drinking  to  the  health 
of  the  deceased  from  a  cup  placed  at  the  base  of  the  post, 
walked  three  times  around  the  grave,  in  an  opposite  direc- 
tion to  the  course  of  the  sun,  at  each  revolution  delivering 
a  speech  with  sundry  gestures  and  emphatic  motions  in  the 
direction  of  the  north-east.  When  he  had  ceased  he  passed 
the  club  to  another  brave,  who  went  through  the  same 
ceremony,  passing  but  once  round  the  grave,  and  so  in  suc- 
cession with  each  one  of  the  braves.  This  ceremony, 
doubtless,  would  appear  pantomimic  to  one  unacquainted 
with  the  habits  or  language  of  the  Indians,  but  after  a  full 
interpretation  of  their  proceedings  they  would  be  found  in 
character  with  this  traditionary  people. 

In  walking  around  the  grave  in  a  contrary  direction  to 
the  course  of  the  sun,  they  wished  to  convey  the  idea  that 
the  ceremony  was  an  original  one.      Ip  their  speeches  they 


102  DAVENPORT 


informed  the  Great  Spirit  that  Mr.  Davenport  was  their 
friend,  and  they  wished  the  Great  Spirit  to  open  the  door 
to  him,  and  to  take  charge  of  liim.     The  enemies  whom 
they  had  slain  they  called  upon  to  act  in  capacity  of  wait- 
ers to  Mr.  Davenport  in   the   spirit-land — they  believing 
that  they  have  unlimited  power  over  the  spirits  of  those 
whom  they  have  slain  in  battle.     Their  gestures  towards 
the  north-east  were  made  in  allusion  to  their  great  enemies, 
the    Sioux,  who  live  in  that  direction.      They  recounted 
their  deeds  of  battle,  with  the  number  that  they  had  slain 
and   taken   prisoners.     Upon    the   post  were   painted,   in 
hieroglyphics,    the  number  of  the  enemy   that  they   had 
slain,  those  taken  prisoners,  together  with  the  tribe  and 
station  of  the  brave.     For  instance,  the  feats  of  Wau-co- 
shaw-she,  the  Chief,  were  thus  portrayed.      Ten  headless 
fio-ures  were  painted,  which  signified  that  he  had  killed  ten 
men.     Four  others  were  then  added,  one  of  them  smaller 
than  the  others,  signifying  that  he  had  taken  four  prison- 
ers, one  of  whom  was  a  child.     A  line  was  then  run  from 
one  ligure  to  another,  terminating  in  a  plume,  signifying 
that  all  had  been  accomplished  by  a  chief.     Afox  was  then 
painted  over  the  plume,  which   plainly  told  that  the  chief 
was  of  the  Fox  tribe  of  Indians.     These  characters  are  so 
expressive  that  if  an  Indian  of  any  tribe  whatsoever  were 
to  see  them,  he  would  at  once  understand  them. 

Following  the  sign  of  Pau-tau-co-to,  who  thus  proved 
himself  a  warrior  of  high  degree,  were  placed  twenty  head- 
less figures,  being  the  number  of  the  Sioux  that  he  had 
slain. 

The  ceremony  of  painting  the  post  was  followed  by  a 
feast,  prepared  for  the  occasion,  which  by  them  -was  cer- 
tainly deemed  the  most  agreeable  part  of  the  proceedings. 
Meats,  vegetables,  and  pies,  were  served  up  in  such  profu- 
sion that  many  armsful  of  the  fragments  were  carried  off 
— it  being  a  part  of  the   ceremony,  which  is  religiously 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  103 


observed,  that  all  the  victuals  left  upon  such  an  occasion 
are  to  be  taken  to  their  homes.  At  a  dog  feast,  which  is 
frequently  given  by  themselves,  and  to  which  white  men 
are  occasionally  invited,  the  guest  is  either  obliged  to  eat 
all  that  is  placed  before  him,  or  hire  some  other  person  to 
do  80,  else  it  is  considered  a  great  breach  of  hospitality. 

"With  the  feast  terminated  the  exercises  of  the  afternoon, 
which  were  not  only  interesting  but  highly  instructive  to 
those  who  witnessed  them. 


104  DAVENPORT 


CHAPTER    X. 

From  1846  to  1854 — Railroads — Rapids  Convention — Growth  of  City,  &c.,  &c. 

1846.  As  readers  familiar  with  the  history  of  Iowa  are 
aware,  the  State  Constitution,  alluded  to  under  the  year 
1844,  was  not  approved  by  Congress.  A  second  Conven- 
tion was  held  this  year,  and  the  other  Constitution  was 
limited  and  amended,  in  which  form  it  met  the  approbation 
of  the  Federal  Power,  and  in  December,  Iowa  became  a 
member  of  the  confederated  States. 

In  the  August  election,  E.  S.  Wing,  Democrat,  was 
elected  representative  overE.  Cook,  by  a  majority  of  three. 
A.  H.  Davenport  was  elected  Sheriff;  James  Thorington 
Judge  of  Probate  over  Piatt  Smith. 

A  Plow  factory  was  started  by  a  Mr.  BechteL  The  first 
steam  flouring  mill  opened  by  A.  C.  Fulton.  A  Board  of 
Trustees  for  Iowa  College  was  chosen. 

1847.  In  April,  James  Grant  was  elected  District  Judge 
of  the  Second  Judicial  District,  by  a  majority  of  four 
hundred  and  forty-eight.  The  District  comprised  Jackson, 
Delaware,  Dubuque,  Clayton,  Scott,  Muscatine,  Clinton, 
Jones,  and  Cedar  counties.  In  June  the  population  of 
Davenport  was,  in  the  corporate  limits,  nine  hundred  and 
eighteen.  A  new  paper,  called  the  Democratic  Banner, 
was  commenced.  The  Banking  house  of  Messrs.  Cook  & 
Sargent  was  opened  this  year,  and  was  the  first  house  of 
the  kind  in  Davenport.     They  opened  in  a  small  house 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  105 


near  or  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Second  streets.  Tlae 
transition  of  the  enterprising  firm  from  the  small  one- 
storied  shanty  in  which  they  made  their  debut  to  the  mag- 
nificent four-storied  marble  structure  in  which  they  are  now 
located,  is  no  less  an  indication  of  the  magnitude  of  their 
projective  and  executive  abilities  than  it  is  of  the  rapid 
growth  and  high  state  of  development  reached  by  our  city. 

The  preparatory  department  of  Iowa  College  was  this 
year  opened. 

1848.  A  noticeable  event  of  this  year  was  the  death  of 
an  individual  named  Jas.  R.  Stubbs.  He  was  born  in  1797, 
and  graduated  at  West  Point  with  high  honor.  He  was 
stationed  at  Fort  Armstrong,  on  Hock  Island,  in  1822,  and 
in  1826  he  served  under  his  brother-in-law,  Judge  McLean, 
in  the  Post  Office  Department.  He  afterwards  removed  to 
Cincinnati,  and  for  some  three  or  four  years  served  in  the 
Post  Office  and  Clerk's  Department  of  that  city.  "While 
there  it  is  supposed  that  he  was  involved  in  some  unfortu- 
nate love-matter,  for  his  character  was  thoroughly  and 
essentially  changed.  He  returned  to  Davenport  in  1833, 
and  after  '37,  for  eight  years,  lived  a  recluse  in  a  sort  of 
cave  excavated  in  a  mound  at  East  Davenport.  There, 
with  no  other  companion  than  his  pets — a  pig,  dog,  or  cat, 
or  all — he  passed  a  rigidly  secluded  life.  Byron,  in  his 
misanthropy,  petted  a  bear,  and  Stubbs,  in  his,  petted  a 
pig.  He  would  occasionally  walk  into  town,  with  his 
family  all  at  his  heels.  For  some  two  years  before  his 
death  he  was  induced  to  come  forth  from  his  hermitage. 
He  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace,  which  station  he 
filled  up  to  his  death  with  an  impartial  and  incorruptible 
integrity.  His  residence  was  in  the  small  brick  tenement 
on  the  north-east  corner  of  Main  and  Third  streets,  in 
which  he  kept  Bachelor's  Hall.  Judge  Mitchell  relates 
that  upon  several  occasions,  while  passing  Stubbs'  house, 
late  at  night,  he  heard  a  violent  clamor  as  if  a  furious  alter- 
14 


106  DAVENPORT 


cation  were  beius:  carried  on  within.  Curiosity  prompted 
liim  to  open  the  door  one  evening,  when  the  noise  was  at 
its  loudest,  to  ascertain  the  cause.  Instead  of  a  half  dozen 
persons,  as  he  expected,  about  to  engage  in  a  free  and 
deadly  fight,  there  were  only  Stubbs  and  his  cat !  The 
latter  was  seated  upon  his  knee,  and  listening  demurely  to 
his  master,  who  was  cursing  him  with  every  anathema  in 
the  vernacular,  profane  or  sacred.  Master  Tom's  offense 
seemed  to  be  an  amorous  habit,  which  he  had  fallen  into, 
of  paying  nocturnal  visitations  to  the  feline  residents  of  the 
neighborhood. 

Stubbs  was  a  man  of  unflinching  honesty,  and  in  posses- 
sion of  a  liberal  education;  and  had  not  the  unfortunate 
event,  before  alluded  to,  occurred  to  aff'ect  his  life,  he 
Avould  undoubtedly  have  bequeathed  his  name  to  pos- 
terity, as  a  legacy  honorable  and  respected.  lie  died  May 
21st,  aged  about  fifty-one  years. 

1849  was  distinguished  more  particularly  as  being  one  in 
which  strong  efforts  were  made  to  secure  the  improvement 
oftheEapids.  Two  Conventions  were  held — one  in  July, 
and  the  other  in  October.  The  first  was  slimly  attended, 
but  in  the  last,  four  States  and  one  Territory  were  repre- 
sented, by  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  delegates. 

One  resolution  passed,  states  that  the  improvement  of 
the  Rapids  is  a  work  which  concerns  the  whole  universe. 
The  plan  of  improvement  recommended  in  the  report  of 
Major  Lee  was  endorsed,  and  it  was  urged  that  he  should 
receive  the  appointment  of  prosecuting  the  aff'air.  The 
Rapids  are  not  yet  fully  improved.  In  another  place,  statis- 
tics will  be  given  of  the  Rapids,  the  amounts  appropriated 
for  their  improvement,  results,  &c. 

The  following  will  exhibit  the  commercial  business  of 
1849,  and  will  further  act  as  data  from  which  increase  of 
business  may  hereafter  be  determined. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT. 

107 

IMPORTS. 

Merchandise, 

$148,500 

Pine  and  Oak  Lumber, 

790,000  feet. 

Shingles, 

1,120,000 

Square  Timber, 

6,000  feet. 

Reaping  Machines, 

42 

Laths, 

EXPORTS. 

310,000 

Flour, 

30,200  bbls. 

Pork, 

1,425     " 

Lard, 

720     " 

Wheat, 

16,700  bush. 

Beans, 

200     " 

Potatoes, 

300     " 

Onions, 

11,160     " 

Barley, 

5,020     " 

Flax  Seed, 

120     " 

Bran  and  Shorts, 

320,000  bbls. 

Hides, 

20,400     " 

Bacon, 

212  hhds. 

This  amount  of  business,  although  since  very  much  en- , 
larged,  was  by  no  means  small  for  a  town  possessing  no 
railroad,  or  other  communication  beyond  the  high  water 
privileges  granted  by  the  Mississippi.  Improved  farms, 
within  three  or  four  miles  of  Davenport,  were  worth  about 
fifteen  dollars  per  acre — seven  miles  out,  ten  dollars  to 
twelve  dollars  per  acre.  Unimproved  prairie  lands,  at  a 
distance  of  six  or  seven  miles  out,  were  worth  about  four 
dollars  per  acre.  Population  of  county  about  five  thousand 
five  hundred.  Twenty-two  thousand  acres  of  land  in  the 
county  were  entered  at  the  Land  OfB.ce  at  Iowa  City.  In 
the  next  year  twenty-two  thousand  forty-one  were  entered 
at  the  same  place. 


108  DAVENPORT 


1850  may  be  properly  deemed  the  year  at  which  Daven- 
port commenced  that  development  which  has  at  once 
given  it  a  first  rank  among  large  cities,  and  excited  the 
wonder  and  taxed  the  credulity  of  all  cognizant  of  the  fact. 
Previous  to  this  year  there  had  been  no  more  to  promote 
the  growth  of  the  location  than  its  extraordinary  healthful- 
ness,  beauty,  and  the  possession  of  a  rich  dependent 
country  lying  adjacent.  The  emigrant  came  from  the  East, 
either  by  the  long  and  expensive  route  afforded  by  a  pas- 
sage down  the  Ohio,  and  up  the  Mississippi,  or  else  by  the 
scarcely  less  dear  mode  of  wagon  emigration.  Mails  were 
infrequent  and  vexatious  in  their  arrivals — the  luxuries  of 
an  advanced  refinement  were  numerically  few — manufac- 
tories were  undeveloped ;  and  but  little  existed  to  induce 
emigration  and  settlement,  save  a  fertile  soil,  an  admirable 
position,  and/a{^7i  in  the  developments  of  the  future. 

Under  such  circumstances  it  is  hardly  to  be  supposed 
that  Davenport  would  display  the  marvelous  in  its  devel- 
opment.    The  year  1850,  however,  began  a  new  era. 

The  prospect  of  a  connection  with  the  great  cities  of  the 
j^ast — of  being  a  point  touched  by  the  line  of  commercial 
importance,  which  is  always  drawn  westward  from  great 
maritime  cities — the  possession  of  three  steam-mills,  gave 
Davenport  an  impetus,  whose  character  is  equalled  in  but 
few  cases. 

The  importance  of  a  railroad  connection  with  the  East 
was  duly  appreciated  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  County. 
The  project  of  a  railroad  to  LaSalle,  Illinois,  connecting 
there  with  the  canal  to  Chicago,  met  with  so  much  favor 
that  the  stock  (seventy-five  thousand  dollars,)  assigned  as 
the  quota  of  Scott  county  was  taken  even  before  Eock 
Island  county  had  discovered  the  merits  of  the  undertaking. 
At  the  same  time  that  the  railroad  question  was  agitated, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  109 


the  subject  of  bridging  the  Mississippi  was  also  included, 
as  was  the  building  of  the  road  from  Davenport  to  Council 
Bluffs. 

The  organization  for  the  R.  I.  &  La  Salle  R.  R.  was 
completed  in  November.  Judge  Grant  was  elected  Presi- 
dent. Eighty-five  thousand  dollars  in  stock  was  taken  by 
Scott  county. 

In  February,  1851,  a  City  Charter  was  obtained  from  the 
Legislature,  and  in  March  was  adopted,  by  a  vote  of  ninety- 
seven  for,  and  seventy-one  against.  This  meagre  vote 
shows  a  most  surprising  indifference,  on  the  part  of  the 
citizens  in  regard  to  the  matter.  Chas.  Weston  was  elected 
Mayor,  H.  Leonard  and  A.  Wygant,  Aldermen  First  Ward ; 
Dr.  Barrows  and  N.  Squires  Second,  and  E.  Cook,  and  H. 
Price,  Third  do. 

Geo.  B.  Sargent  received  in  April  the  appointment  of 
Surveyor  General  in  place  of  Gen.  Booth,  Democrat. 

John  D.  Evans,  H.  S.  Finley,  and  Ira  Cook,  were  ap- 
pointed deputies  from  Scott  county. 

In  April,  the  books  opened  for  subscription  to  the  Chi- 
cago and  Rock  Island  Railroad,  were  'closed,  the  full 
amount  (three  hundred  thousand  dollars,)  required  by  law 
having  been  subscribed.  Judge  Grant  was  chosen  Presi- 
dent of  the  Road. 

At  the  August  election  Wm.  Burris  was  elected  County 
Judge,  and  Harvey  Leonard  Sheriff — which,  by  the  way, 
he  still  remains. 

January  first,  1853,  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  Railroad 
Company  was  organized.  Its  members  were  John  B.  Jer- 
vis,  Joseph  E.  Sheffield,  Henry  Farnam,  John  M.  Wilson, 
N.  B.  Judd,  Ebenezer  Cook,  James  Grant,  John  P.  Cook, 
and  Hiram  Price.  The  capital  stock  was  six  million  dol- 
lars, of  shares  of  one  hundred  dollars  each.  The  corpora- 
tion was  to  continue  fifty  years  from  date.  Five  per  cent 
of  subscription  was  to  be  paid  down,  and  the  remainder  in 


110  DAVENPORT 


instalments  of  not  more  than  twenty  per  cent  of  the  full 
amount,  and  at  intervals  of  not  less  than  three  months. 
The  highest  amount  of  indebtedness  which  could  be  incur- 
red was  four  millions  of  dollars.  In  May  their  first  election 
was  held.  John  A.  Dix,  of  New  York,  was  elected  Presi- 
dent. 

September  first,  1853,  the  first  ground  was  broken  on  the 
Road.  Particulars  are  given  from  the  Gazette  of  the  third 
inst.  : 

"  The  Railroad  Jubilee. — Last  Thursday  was  a  day  big 
with  important  results  to  Davenport.  On  that  day  the  first 
shovel  full  of  earth  was  thrown  up  on  the  Mississippi  and 
Missouri  Railroad.  Or,  it  may  be  with  propriety  we  can 
say,  on  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  Railroad  west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi river.  The  act  itself  was  trivial,  but  in  view  of  the 
important  results  it  heralded,  'twas  thought  best  to  accom- 
pany^ it  with  some  parade  that  would  establish  the  day  as 
one  to  be  commemorated.  And  inasmuch  as  there  was 
some  honor  attached  to  the  act  of  being  the  first  man  to 
throw  up  a  shovel  full  of  earth  in  the  great  enterprise,  by 
common  consent  that  privilege  was  assigned  our  enter- 
prising fellow  citizen,  Mons.  Antoine  LeClaire. 

About  half  past  ten  o'clock,  the  citizens  of  Davenport, 
Rock  Island,  and  vicinities,  assembled  in  front  of  the 
LeClaire  Buildings,  formed  a  procession,  and  proceeded  to 
the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Rock  Island  streets,  where  the 
great  work  was  to  be  commenced.  In  the  procession  were 
included  the  two  brass  bands  of  this  city,  the  Odd  Fellows 
in  regalia,  the  German  Yerein  Society,  and  a  large  vehicle, 
drawn  by  four  horses,  containing  Mr.  Burnell,  and  some 
thirty-five  or  forty  men  who  are  employed  at  his  saw-mill. 

After  assembling  on  the  ground,  Rev.  A.  Louderback, 
of  the  Episcopalian  Church,  offered  up  an  excellent  and 
appropriate  prayer  for  the  occasion,  in  which  he  beseeched 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  HI 


the  Most  High  to  prosper  the  work,  and  to  protect  in 
health  those  who  gave  their  time  and  services  to  the  great 
undertaking. 

After  prayer,  Hon.  Jno.  P.  Cook  ascended  the  stand, 
and  entertained  the  audience  with  an  extempore  address 
of  about  an  half  hour's  length,  in  which  he  spoke  of  the 
years  of  struggle  that  the  citizens  of  Davenport  had  ex- 
perienced to  bring  about  this  great  work,  how,  year  after 
year,  they  had  petitioned  Congress  in  vain  for  a  grant  of 
lands  to  aid  them  in  constructing  a  link  in  the  great 
national  highway,  and  that  finally  despairing  of  ever  ac- 
complishing anything  so  long  as  they  depended  upon  their 
federal  parent  for  aid,  they  had  thrown  themselves  upon 
their  own  resources,  and  now  were  about  to  reap  the  re- 
v,'ard  of  their  enterprise.  Still  they  were  indebted  for  their 
success  to  the  fortuitous  circumstance  that  placed  in  their 
way,  and  enlisted  the  hearty  co-operation  of  the  Kailroad 
King  in  the  West,  Mr.  Farnam,  and  which  had  now  given 
us  a  Contractor  in  Mr.  Carmichael,  who  was  experienced 
in  Railroad  building,  and  able  as  willing  to  put  the  cars 
through  to  Towa  City  in  the  shortest  given  space  of  time. 
Citizens  of  five  or  six  years  standing  would  regard  the 
present  occasion  as  one  of  deep  interest,  but  to  those  who 
had  past  the  last  twelve  or  fifteen  years  of  their  lives  in 
Davenport;  those  who  had  pitched  their  tents  here  when 
but  few  houses  occupied  the  site  so  recently  reclaimed  from 
the  Indians,  the  present  must  indeed  be  an  occasion  of  re- 
joicing, one  fraught  with  the  most  pleasing  associations. 
Soon  the  locomotive  would  leave  our  bustling  city,  bear  on 
its  burden  to  the  Capital  of  the  State,  and  ere  long  lave 
itself  in  the  waters  of  the  Missouri.  Soon  a  bridge  would 
span  the  great  Father  of  Waters,  and  a  continuous  line  of 
Kailroad  connect  us  with  all  the  great  marts  of  the  East. 
Our  prospects  are  bright,  the  gloomiest  need  not  despond. 

It  was  expected  that  Jas.  Knox,  Esq.,  of  Rock  Island, 


112  DAVENPORT 


would  also  address  the  assembly  on  the  occasion,  but  he 
not  being  present,  Mr.  Fulton,  the  Marshal  of  the  day,  an- 
nounced the  important  crisis  to  have  arrived  when  the  soil 
was  to  be  broken  on  the  great  Mississippi  and  Missouri 
Railroad  route.  Whereupon  Mr.  LeClaire  descended  from 
the  stand,  pulled  off  his  coat  amid  the  cheers  of  the  crowd, 
and  proceeded  in  a  workmanlike  manner  to  give  the  first 
touch  to  the  great  iron  thoroughfare  west  of  the  Mississippi 
river. 

During  the  intervals  while  assembled,  the  bands  en- 
livened the  scene  by  performing  some  of  the  most  appro- 
priate airs,  and  the  members  of  the  Verein  Society  sung, 
while  a  small  company  of  artillerymen  from  the  old 
country  having  in  charge  the  "  castiron,"  and  stationed  on 
a  neighboring  eminence,  made  the  welkin  ring. 

Quite  a  respectable  number  of  the  citizens  of  Rock  Island, 
we  were  pleased  to  observe,  were  on  the  ground,  manifest- 
ing that  interest  which  an  enterprise  of  such  great  and 
mutual  importance  to  the  two  cities  was  likely  to  beget  in 
the  minds  of  right-thinking  men.  "We  hope  soon  to  recip- 
rocate their  visit,  and  participate  with  them  in  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  first  arrival  of  the  locomotive,  through  from 
Chicago,  in  their  flourishing  city. 

We  have  heard  the  whole  number  of  persons  present  es- 
timated at  two  thousand.  Harmoniously  and  quietly,  at 
the  order  of  the  Marshal,  the  citizens  again  formed  in  pro- 
cession, and  marched  to  the  LeClaire  House,  where,  at  two 
o'clock,  the  Messrs.  Lowry  served  up  an  excellent  dinner, 
of  which  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  per- 
sons partook.  Thus  terminated  peaceably,  and  so  far  as 
we  know,  without  engendering  an  unkind  thought,  the 
celebration  of  an  event,  that  regarded  with  respect  to  the 
character  and  extent  of  the  work  it  proclaimed,  is  the  most 
momentous  in  the  history  of  our  youthful  and  progressive 
city." 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  113 


A  vote  was  taken  in  September  in  regard  to  the  County 
subscribing  for  the  road.  Only  three  hundred  and  nine 
votes  were  cast,  but  of  these  only  ten  were  opposed  to  sub- 
scribing. The  amounts  taken  in  all  were  seventy-five 
thousand  dollars  by  the  city,  fifty  thousand  dollars  by  the 
count}^  and  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  by  individual 
subscription. 


15 


114  DAVENPORT 


CHAPTER    XI. 

Ojjening  of  Chicago  and  Rock  Islantl  Eailroad — Bridge  Opposition — Laying 
Corner  Stone — Proceedings — Growth  of  City — Statistics,  &c. — Letter  from 
W.  Barrows. 

February  22d,  1854,  was  remarkable  not  only  as  the  an- 
niversary of  the  birth-day  of  Washington,  but  as  the  one 
upon  which  a  connection,  b}'  railway,  was  completed  be- 
tween the  Atlantic  and  the  Mississippi.  Davenport,  for 
some  reasons  best  known  to  Rock  Island,  was  not  general- 
ly invited  to  attend  the  celebration,  which  the  occurrence 
irave  rise  to.  JSTot  behind  hand  in  enthusiasm,  a  ffun  was 
brought  forth,  whose  thunder  was  but  a  faint  echo  of  the 
joy  the  citizens  felt  over  the  event.  A  splendid  illumina- 
tion was  also  gotten  up  at  night,  and  quite  as  much  or 
more  jubilation  was  expressed  on  this  as  on  the  Rock 
Island  side, 

A  few  extracts  from  the  Chicago  PreBS  will  show  the 
character  of  the  initiation  of  the  grand  event: 

"  On  Wednesday  last,  the  22d  inst,  that  event  looked 
forward  to  for  years  with  so  much  interest  by  our  citizens 
- — the  connection  of  the  Mississippi  with  Lake  Michigan  by 
a  continuous  line  of  Railroad — was  consummated.  The 
honor  of  arriving  first  at  this  important  goal  belongs  to  the 
Chicago  and  Rock  Island  road — an  honor,  by  the  way,  well 
worthy  the  Herculean  efforts  which  have  been  made  to 
achieve  it.     In  February,  1851,  the  legislature  chartered 


PASt  AND  PRESENT.  115 


the  company — in  October  of  the  same  year  the  contract  for 
its  construction  and  equipment  was  taken — in  April,  1852, 
the  first  estimate  for  work  upon  it  was  paid — and  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1854 — three  years  from  its  charter,  and  twenty-two 
months  after  ground  had  been  broken  upon  it — the  work 
is  completed,  and  cars  are  running  daily  its  entire  length 
— one  hundred  and  eiglity-one  miles !  This  is  certainly  a 
proud  monument  to  all  who  have  been  instrumental  in 
pushing  the  work  forward  to  completion,  and  especially  so 
to  those  sagacious  and  energetic  men  who  have  had  it  in 
special  charge — Messrs.  Sheffield  and  Farnam. 

On  Wednesday  morning,  the  22d  inst.,  at  half  past  eight 
o'clock,  the  Mayor  and  Common  Council  of  the  City  of 
Chicago,  and  a  number  of  citizens,  in  all  about  two 
hundred  and  lifty,  left  the  depot  of  the  Rock  Island  road, 
in  a  train  of  six  splendid  passenger  cars  from  the  manufac- 
tory of  A.  B.  Stone  &  Co.,  of  this  city,  for  an  excursion  to 
Rock  Island,  in  honor  of  the  completion  of  the  road.  The 
day  was  one  of  the  most  delightful  of  the  season,  and  the 
genial  sunshine,  and  the  exhilerating  atmosphere,  chimed 
in  well  with  the  exultant  spirit,  which  sparkled  in  the  eye 
and  shone  in  the  countenance  of  every  one  of  that  goodly 
company.  The  train  was  tastefully  ornamented  with  flags 
and  evergreens,  and  its  arrival  at  the  different  towns  along 
the  line  was  greeted  with  the  shouts  of  the  people,  and  the 
firing  of  cannons.  At  Joliet,  Morris,  Ottawa,  Lasalle,  Peru, 
Tiskilwa,  Geneseo,  Moline,  and  other  places,  accessions 
were  made  to  our  numbers,  and  when  the  train  arrived  at 
Rock  Island  there  could  not  have  been  less  than  three 
hundred  and  fifty  persons  on  it. 

The  reception  at  Rock  Island  was  a  magnificent  specta- 
cle.    Thousands  of  people  lined  the  streets,  and  crowded 
,  the  doors  and  windows.     Fair  ladies  waved  their  kerchiefs 
and  stout  men  and  youths  shouted  exultingly,  while  ever 
and  anon  the  thunder  of  Col.  Swift's  gun  went  boomino- 


116  DAVENPORT 


across  tlie  Mississippi,  arousing  the  echoes  from  the  majes- 
tic bhifts.  It  was  a  glorious  day  for  Rock  Island,  and  for 
her  neighboring  city  across  the  river.  The  citizens  of 
those  places  had  looked  forward  to  it  for  years,  some  of 
them  with  fear  and  trembling,  lest  their  eyes  should  not 
behold  it.  Hundreds  of  people  from  the  contiguous 
country,  both  in  Illinois  and  Iowa,  had  come  in  to  witness 
the  scene,  and  to  mingle  their  shouts  and  congratulations 
with  their  city  neighbors.  Delegations  were  there  from 
most  of  the  river  towns  from  Dubuque  to  St.  Louis,  and 
some  had  come  from  the  far  interior  towns  of  Iowa,  for 
they  knew  that  the  arrival  of  the  iron  horse  upon  the  banks 
of  the  Mississippi  was  but  an  earnest  of  his  speedily  ap- 
pearing beyond  it,  and  stretching  away  on  his  destined 
course  toward  the  Pacific.  We  think  we  are  not  above  the 
mark  in  estimating  the  number  present,  on  the  arrival  of 
the  train  at  from  five  to  six  thousand  persons. 

******* 

The  speeches  were  highly  appropriate  to  the  occasion, 
and  elicited,  throughout,  enthusiastic  applause  from  the 
vast  concourse.  While  the  things  were  transpiring  within, 
a  grand  spectacle  was  witnessed  without.  The  two  cities 
of  Hock  Island  and  Davenport  were  most  beautifully  illu- 
minated. The  windows  of  stores,  private  residences,  and 
public  buildings,  were  lit  up  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  and 
the  lights  reflected  back  from  the  bosom  of  the  Mississippi, 
were  indefinitely  multiplied,  the  whole  presenting  a  scene 
of  imposing  grandeur.  After  the  reading  of  the  regular 
toasts,  a  large  portion  of  the  company,  headed  by  the 
Moline  brass  band,  marched  in  procession  through  the 
principal  streets  of  the  city.  Others  remained  in  the  depot 
until  a  late  hour,  Mr.  Bally,  of  Rock  Island,  presiding,  . 
where  speeches  and  sentiments  beguiled  the  passing  hours. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  117 


We  regret  that   our  limits  precluded  a  report  of  the  many 
good  things  that  were  offered. 

Much  credit  is  due  to  the  people  of  Rock  Island  for  the 
handsome  manner  in  which  the  celebration  was  gotten  up 
and  conducted,  and  for  the  hospitable  manner  in  which 
private  houses  were  thrown  open  to  accommodate  the  mul- 
titude of  strangers.  The  people  of  Davenport  and  Moline 
also  threw  open  their  mansions  with  the  same  hospitable 
spirit,  and  we  think  everybody  was  comfortably  provided 
for. 

In  concluding  our  notice  of  the  opening  of  this  road,  we 
wish  once  more  to  allude  to  the  successful  manner  of  its 
prosecution.  The  history  of  Railroads  presents  no  parallel 
to  it.  Some  companies  may  have  built  a  greater  number  of 
miles  of  road  in  as  short  a  period,  but  never  before  has  in- 
dividual enterprise  shouldered  and  borne  forward  so  rapidly 
to  a  triumphant  completion  such  a  work  as  this.  And  let 
it  not  be  forgotten  that  a  large  portion  of  the  road  has  been 
built  in  the  face  of  a  stringent  money  market.  But  while 
many  companies  have  been  compelled  to  hold  up  from  this 
cause,  Messrs.  Sheffield  &  Farnam  have  moved  steadily  on- 
ward with  their  great  work  as  though  no  cloud  had  dark- 
ened the  financial  sky  of  the  country.  Surely  there  is  a 
triumph  for  which  they  may  justly  feel  an  honest  pride. 

We  desire,  also,  to  do  justice  to  the  faithful  and  zealous 
labors  of  William  Jervis,  Esq.,  the  Chief  Engineer  of  this 
road.  From  the  beginning  he  has  been  always  at  his  post, 
and  to  his  skill  and  efficiency  much  of  the  credit  for  the 
admirable  character  of  the  work,  and  its  speedy  completion, 
is  due.  But  we  must  close,  without  further  enumeration. 
All  honor  to  all  the  men  who  have  in  any  way  aided  in  the 
advancement  of  this  great  enterprise." 

The  completion  of  the  Chicago  and  Rock  Island  Road, 
and  the  commencement  of  its  continuation — the  M.  &  M. 


118  DAVENPOKT 


It.  11. — naturally  led  to  the  adoption  of  means,  whereby 
the  two  roads  might  be  connected.  A  bridge  across  the 
Mississippi  had  long  been  foreseen  as  a  necessity,  and  now 
as  the  scheme  approached  practical  development,  there 
■was,  all  along  the  river,  the  most  inveterate  opposition. 

St.  Louis,  which  hitherto  had  enjoyed  a  monopoly  in 
"Western  Commerce,  Avas  rampant  in  its  opposition  to  the 
scheme.  The  Chamber  of  Commerce  "  Resolved"  that  a 
brido-e  was  unconstitutional,  an  obstruction  to  navigation, 
dangerous,  and  that  it  v^as  the  duty  of  every  Western  State, 
river  city,  and  town,  to  take  immediate  action  to  prevent 
the  erection  of  such  a  structure.  A  Resolution  was  also 
passed  by  the  City  Fathers  of  St.  Louis,  instructing  the 
Mayor  of  the  city  to  apply  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States  for  an  injunction,  restraining  the  building  of 
the  Bridge. 

Certain  old-fashioned  dogmas,  having  origin  at  a  time 
when  men  understood  less  than  now  the  true  principles  of 
commercial  industry,  governed  St.  Louis,  and  other  places, 
in  their  hatred  to  the  bridge.  It  was  a  dogma  founded 
upon  the  most  intense  selfishness,  and  as  devoid  of  liber- 
ality as  the  system  of  monopoly  which  once  disgraced  the 
legislation  of  France.  That  Davenport,  Iowa  City,  or 
Council  Bluffs,  had  no  right  to  be  connected  with  Chicago 
and  New  York  ;  and  that  St,  Louis  possessed  some  predom- 
inant and  indisputable"  claim  to  their  commerce,  seemed  to 
have  been  the  base  of  action  taken  by  the  latter  city.  Such 
principles  are  obsolete,  and  it  is  not  hazardous  to  assert 
that  an  iron  band  will  yet  unite  the  broad  prairies  of  Illi- 
nois to  the  magnificent  Levee  of  St.  Louis.  Stranger 
thino-s  than  this  have  happened  in  the  changes  undergone 
by  popular  opinion. 

The  opposition  of  rival  towns  was  not  all  the  opposition 
experienced  by  the  Bridge — for  it  had  to  contend  against 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  119 


even  a  national,  or  rather  Southern  jealousy.  Shortly 
after  its  commencement  under  permission  from  the  State 
of  Illinois,  an  order  was  issued  from  the  "War  Department, 
commanding  the  Marshal,  for  the  District  of  Illinois,  to 
clear  the  Island  of  all  trespassers.  This  was  done  in  face 
of  the  fact  that  the  Island  had  been  abandoned  as  a  military 
reserve  by  both  of  Davis'  predecessors — Poinset  and  Marcy 
— and  had  been  turned  over  to  the  Land  Office  Department 
for  sale.  Davis  probably  feared  that  the  Bridge  would 
materially  interfere  with  the  prospects  of  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad.  This  order,  however,  to  clear  the  Island 
of  all  trespassers,  was  not  construed  as  he  probably  in- 
tended, for  it  was  not  made  applicable  to  the  Bridge  Com- 
pany, and  its  operatives. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  Bridge  was  laid  September  1st, 
1854.  A  meeting  was  organized,  the  stone  laid,  and  ap- 
propriate speeches  made  by  Joseph  Knox,  Esq.,  of  Rock 
Island,  and  Hon.  James  Grant,  of  Davenport.  Among  the 
sentiments  of  the  former  were  some  worthy  of  preservation, 
as  having  bearing  upon  the  opposition  hitherto  extended 
to  the  Bridge.     They  are  as  follows : 

"  All  History  proves  the  great  path  of  the  "World's  Com- 
merce to  be  from  East  to  West ;  from  India  to  Assyria  and 
Egypt,  from  Egypt  to  Greece  and  Rome,  from  Rome  to 
Spain  and  England,  and  from  England  to  our  own  free 
America.  It  is  certainly  the  duty  of  all  wise  men  not  to 
retard  this  "Westward  progress,  but  rather  to  hasten  it, 
bearing  with  it,  as  it  does,  that  blessed  trinity.  Commerce, 
Civilization,  and  Christianity ;  and  that  we  regard  all  oppo- 
sition to  the  workings  of  this  great  historic  law  as  among 
the  insanest  of  follies." 

'''■Resolved,  That  in  John  "Warner,  the  Contractor  for 
the  building  of  the  Bridge,  we  recognize  a  man  who,by  reason 
of  natural  capacity,  and  long  experience,  is  eminently  fitted 
for  the  great  work  in  his  charge.    We  congratulate  him  upon 


120  DAVENPORT 


his  success  thus  far,  and  trust  that  the  winds  and  waves  and 
seasons  may  be  propitious  to  him,  until  he  shall  have  bound 
together  the  Eastern  and  Western  halves  of  this  great  val- 
ley with  an  eternal  clasp  of  oak  and  granite.  The  first 
Bridge  across  the  Mississippi !  It  will  be  monumental  to 
his  memory,  and  perpetuate  his  name  as  long  as  the  great 
river  it  spans  flows  in  majesty  beneath  it !" 

The  year  1854  was  distinguished  as  a  busy  one.  It 
speaks  well  for  the  character  of  Davenport,  that  the  founda- 
tions of  her  prosperity  were  never  on  paper,  but  were  laid 
deep  and  permanent  in  the  Industry  of  her  inhabitants. 
The  growth  of  the  town  has  always  been  concomitant  with 
the  settling  of  the  back  country,  the  establishment  of  man- 
ufacturing interests,  and  the  development  of  other  resources. 
There  has  been  at  no  time  a  retrogression,  or  a  stand-still, 
indicating  a  fictitious  progress,  or  an  over-growth.  Thus, 
in  1854,  the  population  increased  nearly  or  quite  three 
thousand.  The  base  of  this  growth  was  the  railroad  con- 
nection, six  saw  mills,  turning  out  from  twenty  to  thirty 
thousand  feet  of  lumber  each  per  day  ;  two  foundries  and 
machine  shops  ;  some  twenty-four  run  of  burrs,  dozens  of 
smith  and  wagon  shops,  one  wholesale  plow  factory,  turn- 
ing out  one  hundred  plows  per  week,  one  Pork  pack- 
ing establishment,  and  a  County  population  of  about 
thirteen  thousand.  In  these  statistics  will  be  recognized 
a  solid  and  lasting  base  of  prosperity,  not  to  be  quashed  as 
a  speculative  bubble,  or  destroyed  by  a  financial  "crisis." 

The  following  communication,  from  a  series  in  the  Dav- 
enport Co7nmercial,  by  Willard  Barrows,  Esq.,  will  give 
readers  a  correct  idea  of  the  city  at  that  date ; 

"  Davenport  ranks  with  any  other  city  in  the  "West,  as 
well  in  a  statistical  point  of  view,  as  in  the  beauty  and  natu- 
ral commercial  importance  of  its  location.  It  contains 
about  six  thousand  inhabitants ;  one  hundred  and  twenty- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  121 


five  stores,  all  told ;  three  regular  Banking  Houses ;  ten 
Land  Agencies;  six  steam  mills  of  various  kinds — one  of 
which  (Burrows  &  Prettyrnan's)  manufactures  one  hundred 
and  seventy-five  barrels  of  flour  per  day  ;  one  Foundry  and 
Machine  shop  ;  seven  Blacksmith  shops ;  four  Saddle,  Har- 
ness and  other  leather  manufacturing  establishments  of 
various  kinds ;  nine  churches  ;  seven  public  houses ;  the 
Iowa  College;  two  public  school-houses;  one  of  which 
cost  upwards  of  six  thousand  dollars,  built  of  stone,  be- 
sides private  schools  ;  one  Masonic  Lodge,  two  Lodges  of 
L  0.  0.  F.,  one  Division  of  Sons  of  Temperance,  and  one 
Maine  Law  Club  ;  fourteen  Doctors,  and  twentj^-two  Law- 
yers ;  (don't  be  frightened  at  the  two  last  items !)  We 
have  a  good  County  Poor  House,  with  farm  attached  ;  one 
tri-weekly,  and  four  weekly  newspapers. 

Scott  county,  of  which  Davenport  is  the  County  Seat,  is 
one  of  the  best  river  Counties  in  the  State,  and  fast  settling 
by  enterprising  farmers,  mostly  from  Pennsylvania,  iS"e-w 
York,  and  Ohio.  Until  recently  we  have,  in  common  with 
other  towns  upon  the  Mississippi  river,  had  to  depend  en- 
tirely upon  steamboat  navigation  to  carry  off"  our  surplus 
produce,  but  now  a  direct  communication  by  Eailroad 
through  Chicago  to  New  York  is  open,  which  has  greatly 
enhanced  the  value  of  produce. 

Davenport  being  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  upper  rapids 
of  the  Mississippi  river,  can,  with  a  moderate  capital,  bring 
into  requisition  one  of  the  greatest  water-powers  in  the 
world  ;  and  we  doubt  not,  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when 
eastern  capitalists  will  procure  it,  and  take  hold  with  energy 
and  success.  The  Rock  Island  and  Chicago  Railroad  ter- 
minates at  Rock  Island.  The  Mississippi  and  Missouri 
Railroad,  is  now  in  progress  of  construction  from  this  place 
to  Council  Blufts,  a  distance  of  three  hundred  miles,  the 
first  division  of  which,  to  Iowa  City,  fifty-seven  miles,  will 
be  completed  by  the  first  of  December,  and  the  cars  ruu- 
16 


122  DAVENPORT 


ning.  These  two  roads  are  to  be  connected  at  Rock  Island 
and  Davenport,  by  a  bridge  across  tlie  Mississippi  river, 
now  in  course  of  construction.  This  bridge,  over  the  main 
channel  of  the  river,  on  the  Iowa  side,  will  be  one  thousand 
five  hundred  and  eighty-two  feet,  divided  into  five  spans  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  each  in  the  clear ;  the  bed  of 
the  river  is  rock,  a  good  foundation.  The  slough,  on  the 
Illinois  shore,  is  four  hundred  and  seventy-four  feet,  also 
rock  bottom.  The  bridge,  on  the  Iowa  side,  is  to  be  built 
with  a  draw  for  steamboat  navigation  ;  the  draw  to  turn  on 
a  pier,  or  similar  to  a  turn-table,  and  to  be  closed  only  for 
the  passage  of  cars,  upon  given  signals.  The  bridge  is  to 
be  twenty-one  feet  above  high-water  mark ;  the  estimated 
cost  is  two  hundred  and  iSfty  thousand  dollars,  to  be  com- 
pleted the  first  of  December,  1855.  The  time  now  occu- 
pied by  railway  from  Davenport  to  New  York  City  is  three 
days;  to  Chicago  from  eight  A.  M.,  to  four  P.  M.,  for  five 
dollars,  and  from  Chicago  to  JSTew  York,  twenty  dollars. 
Thus,  for  twenty-five  dollars,  and  three  days  time,  can  east- 
ern citizens  see  "  Iowa  as  it  is."  Steamers  are  generally  in 
readiness  on  the  arrival  of  the  cars,  to  convey  passengers 
up  or  down  the  Mississippi  river.  Three  and  four  trains 
of  passenger  cars  per  day  running  over  the  road. 

Much  has  been  said  of  late  respecting  the  sale  of  Eock 
Island  by  the  Government,  to  whom  most  of  it  belongs ; 
that  such  will  be  the  case,  I  can  hardly  believe.  It  is 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  War  Department,  and  has, 
till  this  time,  been  reserved  from  sale  with  a  view  of 
making  it  the  great  western  depot  for  munitions  of  war  : 
"  Ko  where  (says  Gen.  Jessup,  in  his  recent  letter  to  the 
Secretary  of  War,)  west  of  the  Alleghany  mountains,  is 
there  a  better  place  for  the  manufacture  of  implements  of 
war  than  Rock  Island."  The  water  power  at  the  head  of 
the  Island  is  immense;  the  Island  is  high,  above  all  over- 
flow, and  healthy,  and  we  anticipate  that  in  less  than  ten 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  123 


years,  it  will  be  the  manufacturing  place  and  deposit  for 
all  Government  stores,  requisite  for  our  frontier,  even  to 
the  Pacific  Ocean. 

The  long  and  much  agitated  question  of  removing  the 
obstructions  in  the  rapids  of  the  Mississippi,  is  now  settled. 
Congress  has  made  the  requisite  appropriations.  The  sur- 
veys of  the  channel  have  been  made,  the  contracts  let,  and 
the  contractors  upon  the  ground  ready  to  proceed  when  the 
water  will  permit — two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars 
will  be  spent  upon  the  rapids,  and  the  same  amount  in  build- 
ing the  bridge  in  the  next  two  years,  beside  the  railroad 
depots  and  manufacturing  houses  requisite  to  stock  the  Eail- 
roads  of  Iowa. 

Have  we  not  then  some  claim  in  point  of  position  as  a 
town  ;  may  we  not  look  forward  to  days  of  prosperity  ?  are 
we  not  on  the  line  of  the  great  thoroughfare  across  the 
State  of  Iowa  to  Council  Bluifs,  Fort  Laramie,  to  the  South 
Pass,  Salt  Lake,  and  to  the  Pacific  Ocean !  Is  it  then  to 
be  wondered  at,  that  our  town  has  doubled  its  inhabitants 
in  the  last  three  years,  that  four  hundred  houses  were  built 
here  during  the  last  year,  and  as  many  more  anticipated; 
that  there  is  not  a  room  ten  foot  square  to  rent  in  the  city, 
and  that  the  public  houses,  and  private  boarding  houses, 
cannot  accommodate  the  people  who  are  emigrating  to  this 
country  ?  Is  it  surprising  that  real  estate  commands  such 
high  rates,  and  that  money  is  worth  twenty  per  cent  ? 

Where,  let  me  ask,  are  the  hordes  of  starving  Europe  to 
find  a  home  but  in  the  Great  West  ?  "We  cannot  expect  in 
this  age  to  wait  the  slow  progress  of  the  settlement  of 
former  years.  Twenty  years  ago  there  were  less  than  five 
thousand  white  inhabitants  between  the  Lakes  and  the 
Pacific  Ocean  !  ISTow  there  is  nearly  two  millions.  Fifteen 
years  ago  Chicago  brought  her  breadstutfs  from  Eastern 
States  ;  now  she  exports  each  year  not  less  than  five  mil- 


124  DAVENPORT 


lion  bushels  of  grain,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand 
barrels  of  beef  and  pork. 

Seventeen  years  ago,  I  was  three  weeks  making  the 
journey  from  New  York,  by  canal  and  steamboat,  to  Dav- 
port,  but  now  it  is  performed  in  three  days,  and  soon  will 
be  done  in  two.  Six  years  ago  Chicago  had  not  a  foot  of 
railroad  completed,  now  there  is  nearly  five  hundred  miles 
completed  within  the  limits  of  the  State,  and  over  two 
thousand  in  process  of  construction.  Should  the  fertile 
soil  of  Iowa,  Illinois,  or  Wisconsin,  be  less  valuable,  now 
that  it  is  placed  within  two  or  three  days  of  New  York, 
than  the  barren,  sterile  hills  of  the  Hudson  were  when  it 
took  a  week  to  reach  the  market !  The  West  is  still  in  its 
infancy.  It  has  not  yet  become  of  age,  not  yet  passed  out 
of  its  teens.  Its  resources  have  not  yet  been  developed. 
It  only  wants  capital,  and  the  handicraft  of  man  to  make 
it  the  garden  of  the  ivoiicl !  Egypt,  with  her  Nile,  may  do 
to  rehearse  in  song,  but  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  when 
properly  developed,  can  never  be  excelled." 

Bavenpori,  May,  1854. 


RESIDEIsTCIi;     OK     C.     .A.UGXJSTUS     H_A.VIL.A.rNrr), 


DAVENPORT,    IOWA. 


PAST  AND  PKESENT.  125 


CHAPTER    XII. 

Temperance — Taxable  Propei'ty — August  Election — Election  of  Gen.  Sargent 
— Inaugural  Address — Improvemeats — Close  of  1857 — History  of  "Past' 
finished — Editorial  from  Gazette. 

That  ball  set  in  sucla  powerful  motion  by  the  moral  arm 
of  Neal  Dow,  did  not  stop  among  the  rocks  and  pines  of 
New  England,!but  rolled  across  the  continent,  till  it  leaped 
even  that  majestic  cold-water  institution — the  Mississippi. 
In  April,  of  1855,  a  vote  was  taken  upon  the  passage  of  a 
Prohibitory  Law.  In  Davenport,  the  result  would  have 
delighted  the  originator  of  "legal  suasion."  In  Davenport 
Precinct  eight  hundred  and  seventy-seven  votes  were  cast 
for  and  against  the  Law,  of  which  five  hundred  and  seventy- 
one  were  in  favor  of  the  Law.  Enos  Tichenor  was  elected 
Mayor  by  the  dominant  party.  Le Claire  gave  a  majority 
for  the  law  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-one.  The  majority 
in  the  County  in  favor  was  six  hundred  and  thirty.  The 
highest  number  of  votes  cast  in  the  county  was  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  seventy-seven. 

The  Temperance  ticket  in  August,  headed  by  "Wm.  Bur- 
ris,  for  County  Judge,  was,  however,  defeated  by  sixteen 
votes.  W.  L.  Cook  was  elected  Judge,  and  H.  Leonard 
Sheriff.  James  McCosh  was  elected  as  Recorder  on  the 
Temperance  ticket  by  a  majority  of  thirty-three.  The 
whole  number  of  votes  cast  in  the  County  was  one  thousand 


126  DAVENPORT 


uine  hundred  and  fifty-one — in  tbe  township  one  thousand 
and  fifteen. 

The  value  of  taxable  property  in  Davenport  township 
for  1855  was — 
Total  value  of  land  and  improvements,  $1,424,439 

"         '-  town  lots,  1,859,417 

Capital  employed  in  merchandize,  258,334 

"  "  "  manufactures,  84,729 

Monies  and  Credits,  497,138 

Corporation  Stocks,  86,121 

Furniture,  37,944 

This,  with  other  property,  amounted  to  a  sum  total  of 
four  million  four  hundred  and  eight  thousand  four  hundred 
and  thirty-three  dollars. 

The  following  statement  will  show  the  manufacturing 
interests  of  Davenport,  May  1856,  as  compiled  by  a  writer 
for  the  Chicago  Press : 

Hands  employed  five  hundred  and  twenty-six,  capital 
five  hundred  and  eighty-six  thousand,  value  of  manufac- 
tures for  the  year  past  one  million  five  hundred  and  twenty- 
two  thousand  five  hundred  and  sixteen  dollars.  The  sales 
of  lumber  amounted  to  seventeen  million  four  hundred  and 
twenty  thousand  one  hundred  and  eighty-seven  feet,  six 
million  four  hundred  and  nicety-six  thousand  shingles,  and 
eight  million  lath.  Of  this  amount,  ten  million  feet  was 
manufactured  here,  three  million  five  hundred  thousand 
from  Chicago,  and  balance  rafted  down  the  river.  These 
statements  do  not  include  the  manufactories  of  East  Dav- 
enport— that  place  not  being  in  the  corporate  limits  of  the 
city.  Twenty  thousand  eight  hundred  hogs  were  packed, 
and  four  hundred  and  fifty-four  thousand  bushels  of  wheat 
bought  in. 

April  2l8t,  the  locomotive  "  Des  Moines"  crossed  the 
Mississippi  Bridge,  being  the  first  thing  of  the  kind.  At- 
tempts  were   made    to   celebrate   the    event,   but   failed. 


PAST  AND  PKESENT.  127 

However,  the  era  will  not  be  forgotten,  although  unrecog- 
nized by  the  salvo  of  artillery,  or  the  plaudits  of  enthusiasm. 

May  6th,  1856,  the  steamboat  Effie  Afton,  while  endeav- 
oring to  pass  through  the  draw,  was  struck  by  a  wind, 
and  driven  against  a  pier.  She  took  lire,  and  communi- 
cated to  the  Bridge  the  destructive  element.  A  portion 
was  burned,  and  the  steamer  was  a  total  wreck.  Allusion 
is  made  to  this,  because  a  suit  Avas  soon  after  commenced 
against  the  Bridge  Company  by  the  owners  of  the  boat,  in 
which  some  highly  important  principles  were  evolved. 
They  will  be  spoken  of  in  their  place. 

In  August,  1856,  the  strong  feeling,  originating  under 
the  Kansas-lSTebraska  Act,  materially  changed  the  political 
character  of  the  hitherto  Democratic  County.  Timothy 
Davis,  Republican  Congressional  Candidate,  received  one 
thousand  four  hundred  and  seventy- two  votes  in  the  County, 
and  his  opponent.  Shepherd  Leffler,  ten  hundred  and  thirty- 
six.  W.  J.  Rusch  was  elected  over  G.  C.  S.  Dow,  for 
State  Senator,  by  about  the  same  majority.  Rogers, 
Wing,  and  Barner,  were  elected  Representatives  over 
Dodge,  Parkhurst,  and  Smajlfield.  J.  AV.  Stewart  was 
elected  Prosecuting  Attorney  over  John  Johns,  Jr.,  and 
J.  D.  Patton,  County  Clerk.  For  a  convention  to  form 
a  new  State  Constitution  there  was  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  four  votes;  against  eighty-nine. 

In  March  1857,  Gen.  Geo.  B.  Sargent  was  nominated  as 
an  independent  candidate  for  the  Mayoralty.  B.  B. 
Woodward  was  nominated  to  the  same  office  by  the  Repub- 
licans. Gen.  Sargent  was  elected  by  seventy-eight  major- 
ity, together  with  the  principal  nominees  of  the  Democratic 
ticket.  John  Johns  was  elected  Police  Magistrate  by  fifty- 
two  majority.  H.  W.  Mitchel,  Marshal,  E.  Peck  Clerk,  S. 
Sylvester,  Treasurer. 

At  the  same  election  there  were  in  the  County  forty-one 
majority  for  Mills,  Republican  candidate  for  District  Judge 


128  DAVENPORT 


— three  hundred  and  ninetj^-eightraajoritj  against  heensing 
the  sale  of  spiritous  liquors.  The  Judicial  District  had,  a 
short  time  previous,  been  reorganized,  owing  to  the  fact 
that  its  immense  extent  precluded  the  possibility  of  the 
Court  doing  one-half  of  the  business  which  it  engendered. 
The  new  District  included  Scott,  Clinton,  and  Jackson 
counties.  G.  C.  R.  Mitchell,  independent  candidate,  was 
elected. 

The  improvements  projected  under  the  new  municipal 
regime,  headed  by  Gen.  Sargent,  were  extremely  liberal. 
Extracts  from  the  Mayor's  Inaugural  will  at  once  express 
the  condition  of  the  city,  and  the  improvements  recom- 
mended : 

"  The  Treasurer's*  report  of  31st  ult.,  exhibits  very  clearly 


*CITY  treasurer's  REPORT. 


ABSTRACT    OF    RECEIPTS. 


Balance  received  from  Treasurer  last  year,  $2,563  06 

Dividends  on  C.  &  R.  T.  R.  R.  Stock,  5,440  OO 

Taxes  in  arrear  foryear  1855,  1,048  09 

Road  fund  in  arrear  year  1855,  1,849  75 

City  Clerk  Licenses,  Cemetery  Lots,  &'c.,  434  45 

Mayor  for  fines,  58  00 

Redemption  of  Lot  for  Taxes,  3  00 

Marshal  Taxes  for  1856,  14,600  39 

Real  Estate  owners  on  account  paving  Main  street^  718  25 

Real  Estate  owners  macadam izinp;  Front  street,  1,602  08 

Sale  of  ten  City  Bond  loans  of  1856,  5,000  OO 

Sale  eighty-four  shares  C.  &  R.  L  R.  R.  Stock,  8,400  OO 

Two  fractional  shares  C.  &  R.  I.  R.  R.  Stock,  100  OO 

Dividends  on  M.  &  M.  R.  R.  Stock,  3,648  00 


$45,465  07 


ABSTRACT  OF  EXPENDITURES. 

Current  expenses  as  per  city  orders,  $7,246  22 

Interest  commission,  and  expense  on  C.  &  R.  I.  R.  R.  Bonds,  5,025  00 

"             "                     "              on  M.  &  M.  R.  R.  Bonds,  7,631  61 

Cash  paid  from  Treasury  for  Road  work,  6,931  73 

"         Street  Commissioner,  road  fund,  Mayor's  order,  1,849  75 

"         on  account  paving  Main  street,  2,563  00 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  129 


the  financial  state  of  the  City.  It  shows  that  the  Finances 
are  in  an  excellent  condition. 

It  is  a  source  of  just  pride  that,  thus  far,  in  our  Municipal 
history,  we  have  always  been  able  to  meet  our  obligations 
promptly  and  fully,  in  consequence  of  which  no  city  in  the 
West  deservedly  enjoys  a  better  reputation  or  credit  than 
our  own. 

The  Treasurer,  in  his  report,  does  not  include  among  the 
liabilities  of  the  City  the  indebtedness  to  the  Chicago  and 
Rock  Island  Railroad,  consisting  of  Bonds  .due  May  1st, 
1863,  for  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  Bonds  to  Mississippi 
and  Missouri  Railroad,  due  August  1st,  1865,  for  seventy- 
five  thousand  dollars ;  nor  among  the  assets  of  the  City, 
five  hundred  shares  in  Chicago  and  Rock  Island  Railroad, 
fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  seven  hundred  and  fifty  shares. 


Cash  paid  on  account  Macadamizing  Front  street,  2,088  62 

"                 "           Brady  street  and  steamboat  landing,  1,197  92 

"                 "           Macadamizing  Main  street,  510  50 

"  Revising  Ordinances,  250  00 

*'  On  account  printing  and  binding  Ordinances,  600  00 

"  Note  and  interest  on  account  Road  fund,  1,081  67 

"  Interest  Commission  and  expense  on  Davenport  Gas  Stock,        204  00 


$37,081  02 

SCHEDULE  OF  PROPERTY  BELONGING   TO  THE  CITY  OP  DAVENPORT,  MARCH  31,  1857. 

27  Shares  C.  &  R.  I.  Railroad  Stock  @  $100,                                       $2,700  00 

Interest  Scrip  Mississippi  and  MissourL  Railroad  Company,                          54  14 

40  Shares  Davenport  Gas  Light  and  Coke  Company,                                 1,000  00 

162  shares  Mississippi  and  Missouri  Railroad  stock  @  $100,               16,200  00 

Estimated  amount  due  from  County  Treasurer  to  Road  Fund,                4,000  00 

Due  from  Real  Estate  owners  on  Main  street,                                            1,845  00 

"             "             "             "             Front  street,                                                60  96 

Cash  in  the  Treasury,                                                                                 8,384  C5 

City  Tax  List  for  1856,                                                                                   1,900  00 

Due  from  City  Clerk,                                                                                          634  00 


$39,778  15 
Deduct  estimated  Expenditures  due  and  maturing,  5,000  00 


Leaving  nominally  a  balance  over  indebtedness,  $44,778  15 

17 


130  DAVENPORT 


seventy-five  thousand  dollars,  in  the  Mississippi  and  Mis- 
souri Railroad,  for  which  the  Bonds  above  alluded  to  were 
issued. 

It  is  a  source  of  gratification  that  the  issuing  of  Bonds 
to  these  Railroad  Companies  has  been  of  such  vital  import- 
ance to  the  advancement  of  our  City,  securing,  as  it  did, 
the  building  of  these  roads,  and  thus  bringing  large  acces- 
sions to  our  Municipal  population,  wealth  and  resources. 
During  the  past  year,  the  dividends  on  the  Chicago  and 
Rock  Island  Railroad  brought  into  the  Treasury  some  six 
thousiind  dollars,  more  than  enough  to  pay  the  interest  on 
the  Bonds.  The  liberal  policy  pursued  towards  these  Rail- 
roads should  be  extended  to  other  public  improvements  of 
equally  essential  importance  to  our  City,  and  full  as  certain 
to  add  largely  to  our  prosperity. 

LOAN  or  FIFTT-NINE    THOUSAND  DOLLARS. 

Of  the  fifty-nine  thousand  dollars  loan,  voted  last  year. 
Bonds  to  the  amount  of  nine  thousand  dollars  only  have 
been  issued.  The  loan  was  divided  as  follows  :  Twenty- 
five  thousand  dollars  for  filling  out  and  grading  Steam  Boat 
Landing ;  less  than  three  thousand  dollars  of  which  sum 
has  been,  as  yet,  expended.  Mr.  McCammon  has  a  con- 
tract for  grading  Brady  and  Seventh  streets,  and  filling  up 
the  Levee.  According  to  the  recent  estimate  of  the  City 
Engineer,  it  will  not  cost  over  twelve  thousand  dollars  to 
fill  between  Harrison  and  Brady  streets.  The  balance  of 
the  money  will  be  subject  to  the  order  of  the  Council.  I 
would  urge  that  the  Levee  be  Macadamized  as  soon  as 
practicable,  after  the  filling  in  is  completed,  in  order  to 
prevent  damage  by  the  action  of  the  river  current. 

Ten  thousand  dollars  were  appropriated  for  "Water  works. 
A  Committee  have  been  making  examinations  for  suitable 
grounds,  who  have,  from  time  to  time,  reported.  Although 
the  order  for  this  loan  was  made   early  last  summer,  no 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  131 


ground  has  been  decided  upon.  It  is  highly  important  that 
measures  should  be  taken  immediately  to  secure  a  proper 
site  for  Water  Works,  and  the  necessary  surveying  and  en- 
gineering done  to  furnish  an  estimate  of  the  cost  of  pro- 
curing for  the  City  a  constant  supply  of  pure  water.  As 
soon  as  such  estimates  are  completed  and  dpproved  by  the 
Council,  I  would  urge  the  issuing  of  Bonds  for  the  amount 
required,  and  the  building  of  said  Water  Works  at  once. 

Ten  thousand  dollars  for  Fire  Engines  and  apparatus. 
Of  this  amount  five  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  will  have 
been  expended  (when  the  Fire  Engines  arrive  here,  being 
now  on  the  way,  via.  New  Orleans,)  in  the  purchase  of  two 
Fire  Engines,  and  necessary  hose  and  appendages.  The 
balance  can  be  expended  for  a  lot  and  Engine  House,  or 
towards  the  building  of  Cisterns.  Either  will  come  within 
the  purview  of  the  loan. 

In  this  connection,  I  would  urge  a  liberal  appropriation 
to  the  Fire  Department  for  outfit,  &c.,  and  that  a  lot  be 
purchased,  and  an  Engine  House  erected,  as  soon  as  prac- 
ticable. 

Four  thousand  dollars  for  taking  stock  in  the  "  Daven- 
port Gas  Light  and  Coke  Company."  This  was  taken  with 
an  understanding  that  seventy-five  street  lamps  were  to  be 
immediately  erected.  One  semi-annual  payment  of 
interest  has  already  been  made,  and  no  signs  of  street  lamps 
yet  appear.  The  Gas  Company  should  be  required,  at 
once,  to  fulfi.1  their  part  of  this  agreement.  The  delay  that 
has  already  occurred  is  unjustifiable, 

PUBLIC  BUILDINGS. 

Among  the  many  important  matters  demanding  early 
attention,  are  the  securing  of  a  suitable  lot  for,  and  build- 
ing thereon,  a  Hospital,  at  a  cost  of,  at  least,  fifteen  thou- 
sand dollars.  The  securing  of  a  lot  for,  and  building  a 
City  Prison,  at  a  cost  of  about  the  same  amount.     A  Citv 


132  DAVENPORT 


Hall,  with  offices  for  all  the  city  officers,  and  a  court  room 
for  the  Police  Magistrate,  and  such  other  judicial  officers 
as  may,  from  time  to  time,  be  added  to  the  city  Judiciary, 
with  a  fire  proof  vault  or  safe,  for  the  keeping  of  valuable 
city  papers,  should  be  constructed  at  a  cost  of  not  less  than 
twenty  thousand  dollars.  In  the  upper  story  of  this  build- 
ing could  be  built  a  large  Hall,  which  would,  if  properly 
managed,  pay  at  least  ten  per  cent,  on  the  entire  cost. 

I  would  suggest  the  propriety  of  borrowing  fifty  thousand 
dollars,  on  Bonds  of  the  city,  principal  payable  in  twenty 
years,  for  this  purpose. 


STREETS. 

There  has  been  an  urgent  necessity  for  the  improvement 
of  the  streets,  &c.,  in  almost  every  part  of  the  city.  I 
would  urge  prompt  action  on  these  matters  now,  even  if  the 
necessary  funds  have  to  be  borrowed  on  the  bonds  of  the 
city,  as  the  best  economy  and  policy.  Good  and  substantial 
crossings  should  be  made  in  every  part  of  the  city  where 
citizens  have  been  taxed  for  sidewalks  ;  and  a  contract 
should  be  made  with  some  responsible  party  to  keep  such 
crossings  in  good  passable  condition  during  the  entire 
season. 

The  principal  streets  in  the  city  should  be  graded  with- 
out delay,  particularly  as  a  large  amount  of  Macadamizing 
will  probably  be  done  this  season,  and  the  road  fund  will 
be  entirely  inadequate.  This  Fund  is  not  sufficient  to 
make  the  ordinary  street  repairs.  Other  permanent  im- 
provements must  be  provided  for  by  making  a  loan.  A 
loan  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  for  this  purpose  would 
be  desirable. 

Past  experience  has  shown  that  the  Council  should  never 
permit  a  single  yard  of  dirt  to  be  hauled  upon  the  streets, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  133 


but  where  tliej  are  in  bad  condition,  they  should  be  im- 
proved by  ploughing  in  the  gutters,  and  rounding  up,  as  in 
almost  every  instance  the  dirt  must  be  removed  below  the 
surface  grade  for  permanent  improvements,  like  that  of 
Macadamizing.  There  is  one  idea  in  connection  with 
grading  of  streets,  to  which  I  would  call  your  particular 
attention.  It  is  easily  seen  how  large  a  quantity  of  land 
can  be  made  by  an  expenditure  of  twelve  thousand  dollars 
on  the  Levee.  An  expenditure  of  fifty  thousand  dollars 
more  would  make  enough  land  to  pay  the  entire  cost  of 
making.  The  River  is  shallow  in  front  of  the  city ;  and 
by  extending  the  Levee,  a  better  landing  can  be  had  than 
now  ;  and  the  old  landing  could  be  cut  up  into  lots,  and 
sold  for  building  purposes. 


SEWERAGE. 


A  general  system  of  sewerage  should  be  at  once  adopted. 
There  is  no  city  in  the  world  where  nature  has  done  more 
towards  a  natural  drainage  than  in  our  own  ;  yet  a  judicious 
system  of  sewerage  commenced  now,  and  carried  out,  will 
add  immensely  to  the  health  of  the  city,  and  save,  in  after 
years,  thousands  of  dollars,  and  hundreds  of  hves. 


DAVENPORT. 


Its  situation,  at  the  intersection  of  the  two  great  arterial 
trade  currents  of  the  country,  would  alone  give  it  consid- 
eration and  importance  ;  yet,  with  rivals  above  and  below 
generally  competing  with  us  for  pre-eminence,  we  must 
not  stay  our  own  efforts.  Although  much  has  been  done 
more  remains  to  be  done.  It  will  not  do  for  us  to  rest  con- 
tent with  the  success  of  past  exertions,  nor  trust  our  future 
to  the  natural  course  of  events,  but  with  combined  and 
well  directed  efforts  on  our  part,  the  continued  success  and 
growth  of  our  city  are  beyond  doubt. 

Situated  on  the  most  magnificent  natural  highway  upon 


134  DAVENPORT 


the  ITorth  American  continent,  and  on  what  must  eventu- 
ally be  the  main  line  of  interoceanic  communication,  being 
the  only  point  at  which  the  Mississippi  has  been  bridged, 
and  in  all  probability  destined  for  many  years  to  be  the 
only  such  point  in  a  State  that  has  untold  wealth  in  its 
fertile  soil,  and  commanding  all  its  central  position,  there 
surely  can  be  no  uncertainty  as  to  its  future  importance. 
Its  past  History,  too,  gives  large  promise.  It  has  reached 
its  present  development  with  a  rapidity  unknown,  except 
in  Western  experience.  Its  founders,  and  its  first  citizens, 
are  yet  active  in  our  midst,  and  to  these,  whose  experience 
has  been  its  experience,  as  they  look  back  upon  its  insig- 
nificant beginnings,  its  early  struggles,  its  times  of  doubt, 
and  remember  the  few  short  years  that  have  sufficed  for 
the  growth  and  prosperity  of  to-day,  no  speculation,  as  to 
its  future  importance,  can  seem  unreasonable  or  extrava- 
gant." 

The  recommendations  of  Mayor  Sargent  were  not  un- 
heeded. Appropriations,  for  the  various  purposes  specified, 
were  made,  and  the  improvement  during  the  year  was 
rapid  beyond  precedent.  Over  thirteen  hundred  Houses 
were  erected,  dating  from  August  1st,  1856,  to  the  close  of 
the  year  1857,  two  miles^  of  street  Macadamized,  four  and 
a  half  miles  of  gas  pipe  laid,  over  two  hundred  and  fifty 
street  lamps  erected,  and  thirteen  miles  of  sidewalk  laid. 

This  sidewalk  estimate  includes  none  above  the  Eailroad 
Bridge,  none  in  East  Davenport,  and  none  in  North  Daven- 
port, except  Brady  street,  though  they  are  all  within  the 
city  limits  ;  these  would  certainly  eke  out  the  measures  to 
twenty  miles  of  sidewalk  in  the  city  of  Davenport. 

The  assessed  property  of  the  city  increased  from  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  in  1851,  to  one  million  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars  in  1854,  to  three  million  dollars 
in  1855,  to  three  million  five  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  135 


dollars  in  1856,  and  for  the  present  year  amounts  to  five 
million  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand  ninety-one 
dollars  and  ninety-one  cents. 

A  magnificent  Engine  House  was  huilt  at  an  expense  of 
five  thousand  dollars,  and  engines,  with  hose  carts,  &c., 
purchased.  The  "Independent  Fire  Engine  and  Hose 
Company"  had  organized  some  time  previously  under  a 
Charter  from  the  Legislature,  and  to  them  was  committed 
the  care  of  the  Engine  House,  and  fixtures. 

RECAPITULATION. 

The  number  of  houses  erected  in  Dai-evport  during  the  year 
ending  with  1857  : 

Front  street,  eleven  squares,  39 

Second  street,  twelve  squares,  56 

Third  street,  thirty  squares,  126 

Fourth  street,  fourteen  squares,  42 

Fifth  street,  thirteen  squares,  33 

Sixth  street,  thirteen  squares,  37 

All  in  the  city  limits  west  of  Warren  and  the  bluff, 

to  the  river,  except  Third  street,  112 

Seventh,  8th,  9th,  10th,  11th,  and  12th,  111 

Renwick's  mill  to  bridge  avenue,  10 

LeClaire's  common,  (laborers'  cottages,)  22 

Fulton's  addition,  22 

East  Davenport,  33 

Fulton  and  Fejary's  subdivision,  20 

Korth  Davenport  street,  250 

Part  of  city  bounded  east  by  Harrison  street,  south 

by  Seventh  street,  and  north  and  west  by  city 

line,  150 

Built  outside  of  city  line,  106 

Total,  1214 


136  DAVENPORT 


iN'iimber  of  miles  of  street  Macadamized,  2 

"  "  sidewalk  laid,  13 

"  "  gas  pipe  laid,  4J 

"  "  street  graded  and  not  yet  Macad- 

amized, 4 

"  street  lamps  erected,  250 

Cost  of  twenty-one  buildings  erected  during  the  past 

year,  $511,000.     Cost  of  one  building,  $75,000 

At  the  August  election.  Col.  Chas.  Weston,  Democrat, 
was  elected  County  Judge,  James  McCosh,  Kepublican, 
Recorder,  and  H.  Leonard,  Democrat,  Sheriff.  The  vote 
for  the  new  Constitution  received  a  majority  in  its  favor, 
and  in  all  other  respects,  save  the  two  above-mentioned 
officers,  the  Republican  measures  were  victorious. 

The  year  1857  closed,  after  having,  to  the  full,  equalled 
its  predecessors  in  the  progress  and  benefits  which  it  car- 
ried to  our  city.  The  population  increased  to  eighteen 
thousand,  immense  improvements  were  projected  and  ex- 
ecuted, real  estate  steadily  rose  in  value,  and  every 
element  of  prosperity  was  rapid  and  sure  in  its  develop- 
ment. The  financial  revulsion  of  the  Fall,  affected  us 
somewhat,  but  to  an  extent  remarkable  for  its  meagreness. 
Ample  facts  in  regard  to  this  will  be  afforded  hereafter. 

The  "Winter  of  '57  and  '8  was,  up  to  the  time  of  writing,* 
the  most  remarkable  on  record.  The  river  was  as  clear  of 
ice  as  it  was  under  the  sweltering  influences  of  a  July  sun, 
while  the  weather  was  like  the  balmyness  of  Spring. 

The  prominent  occurrence,  of  the  early  part  of  '58,  was 
a  difficulty  between  the  municipal  authorities  and  the 
Firemen.  The  former  framed  an  Ordinance,  creating  cer- 
tain new  offices  in  the  Fire  Department,  which  were  to  be 
filled  independently  of  the  Firemen.  The  latter  rebelled 
— refused  to  attend  fires,  and  held  meetings  denunciatory 


*  February  5th,  1858. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  137 

of  the  action  of  the  authorities.  The  Council  was  firm  in 
resistance,  and  matters  seemed  likely  to  assume  a  most 
unpleasant  aspect.  Mayor  Sargent,  however,  happened  to 
attend  a  fire,  when  he  was  nearly  mobbed  by  some  Ger- 
mans, indignant  at  some  real  or  fancied  wrong  in  relation 
to  one  of  their  Aldermanic  representatives.  The  Firemen 
rallied  round  the  Mayor,  afiibrding  him  a  guard  of  honor 
and  protection.  The  result  was  that  they  received  their 
Engines  again,  and  a  satisfactory  compromise  effected  in 
regard  to  the  Fire  Ordinances. 

Business  during  the  Winter  was,  as  in  all  other  places, 
dull,  owing  to  the  derangement  of  financial  affairs,  but 
owing  to  the  soundness  of  business,  there  were  less  than 
half  a  dozen  failures — a  fact  that  challenges  equality  in 
any  other  p]ace,  East  or  West.  Of  these  failures  there 
were  but  two  of  consequence. 


The  "  Past"  is  finished — but  a  review  of  the  [field  will 
not  be  attempted  till  the  "  Present"  has  been  minutely 
scanned.  Then  reflections,  which  our  progress  hitherto 
affords,  will  be  indulged  in. 

As  an  appropriate  finish,  the  following  article,  from  the 
pen  of  an  editorial  cofrere,  is  appended.  It  was  written 
May,  1857 : 

"  Five  years  ago  Davenport  was  only  distinguished  as 
the  most  beautiful  village  on  the  Mississippi  river.  Rest- 
ing upon  the  western  bank  of  this  great  river,  and  nestling 
in  the  bosom  of  a  grand  amphitheatre,  formed  by  a  crescent 
of  bluffs  circling  around  the  plain,  a  half  mile  back  from 
the  river  in  front — the  cliff's  of  Rock  Island  parting  the 
crystal  waves,  and  old  Fort  Armstrong  resting  upon  these 
walls  of  stone — the  village  of  Rock  Island  opposite,  and  the 
iver  coiling  off"  in  the  distance,  glittering  like  a  silver 
18 


138  DAVENPORT 


thread  for  miles — certainly  no  lovelier  spot  ever  gladdened 
the  eyes  of  man,  than  Davenport  as  a  village.  It  then  had 
only  about  seventeen  hundred,  or  two  thousand  inhabitants. 
Now,  we  have  a  population  of  from  fourteen  to  fifteen 
thousand  people,  all  actively  engaged  in  business,  all  in- 
tent upon  developing  to  the  utmost  the  great  advantages 
of  the  place,  all  striving  to  continue  the  growth  so  re- 
markably commenced,  and  with  every  incentive  to  ener- 
getic action.  Within  five  years,  Davenport  has  changed 
from  the  village  to  the  first  city  in  Iowa,  and  she  is  now  as 
remarkable  for  her  commerce,  trade  and  manufactures,  for 
all  the  attributes  of  a  flourishing  city,  as  five  years  ago  she 
was  for  her  loveliness  as  a  village.  Last  fall,  we  published 
a  full  list  of  the  manufactures  of  Davenport.  Our  own 
citizens  were  astonished  at  the  extent  and  variety  of  man- 
ufactures in  the  city,  and  the  aggregate  annual  amount  of 
manutactured  articles.  Since  then,  the  list  has  been  largely 
increased,  and  this  season  will  mark  an  augmentation  as 
remarkable  as  any  year's  increase  since  our  village  history. 
Upon  no  surer  foundation  for  prosperity  can  a  young  city 
rest,  than  upon  her  manufactures — but  when  with  these 
are  linked  so  great  a  river  and  railroad,  or  commercial  ad- 
vantages, as  Davenport  enjoys,  who  can  tell  when  or  where 
the  prosperity  and  progress  marking  our  city,  at  this  time, 
may  cease  ?  The  people  of  Davenport  feel  justly  proud  of 
the  manufactures  of  their  city.  While  rival  cities  are  de- 
pending almost  entirely  upon  their  commercial  advantages, 
and  resting  their  whole  future  upon  this  or  that  railroad 
enterprise,  we,  enjoying,  probably,  all  their  advantages  of 
this  nature,  place  a  strong  reliance  upon  the  influence  of 
various  and  extended  and  rapidly  increasing  manufactures, 
to  carry  forward  that  prosperity  so  happily  begun,  and  so 
wonderfully  marking  our  present  history.  We  consider 
this  no  weak  reliance,  when  we  reflect  upon  the  amount  of 
capital  invested  in  manufactures  at  this  point,  the  number 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT.  139 


of  persons  engaged,  and  the  numbers  flocking  here  for  em- 
ployment, in  response  to  the  demand,  the  independence 
given  us  of  distant  communities  in  so  many  particulars,  and 
the  standard  men  of  means  who  are  continually  coming 
into  our  midst  to  open  new  branches  of  mechanics.  We 
anticipate  that  our  list  of  next  fall  will  show  an  increase  in 
capital,  amount  of  manufactures,  number  of  hands  em- 
ployed, &c.,  of  fully  one-third  over  our  last  year's  statistics. 

Commercially,  we  are  situated  far  enough  on  the  river 
above  St.  Louis  to  be  entirely  independent  of  the  influences 
of  that  city,  and  near  enough  to  avail  ourselves  of  its  ad- 
vantages as  a  market  of  demand  and  supply.  "We  are  at 
the  foot  of  the  upper  Rapids,  and  the  center  of  one  of  the 
richest  and  most  thickly  settled  regions  of  country  in  the 
great  Mississippi  Valley.  We  have  direct  connection  with 
Chicago  by  railroad,  a  distance  of  eight  or  nine  hours  travel, 
and  through  its  railroad  with  the  East,  &c.  "With  the  in- 
terior we  are  connected  by  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri 
Railroad,  some  time  since  finished  to  Iowa  City,  the  capitol  of 
the  State,  and  doing  an  excellent  business,  and  now  fast 
being  built  to  connect  us  with  the  Missouri  river.  This 
road  is  already  a  great  artery  of  trade  and  travel,  and  every 
month  is  increasing  its  business,  and  its  value  to  this  city. 
Of  other  roads  in  contemplation,  we  have  not  now  space  to 
speak.  At  this  point,  the  great  bridge  crosses  the  Missis- 
sippi, the  only  bridge  spanning  this  vast  body  of  water  in 
its  whole  length,  from  St.  Anthony  to  the  Gulf.  It  is 
evident  that  other  roads  must  be  drawn  to  this  point  to 
obtain  a  bridge  crossing.  Indirectly,  we  consider  the 
bridge  of  immense  importance  to  our  city.  In  itself,  it  is 
a  magnificent  structure,  and  one  in  which  we  feel  a  par- 
donable pride.  We  claim  commercial  advantages  for  Dav- 
enport second  to  those  of  no  other  point  above  St.  Louis. 

The  very  fact  of  the  country,  back  of  Davenport,  being 
80  thickly  settled,  farm  after  farm  stretching  out  in  every 


140  DAVENPORT 


direction,  like  a  vast  garden,  and  villages  dotting  the 
prairie  at  every  stream  and  grove,  with  .the  continued  in- 
flux of  immigrants,  of  the  best  stamina,  is,  in  itself,  per- 
haps, suflicient  to  demonstrate  that  the  wonderful  growth 
of  our  city  is  but  the  natural  result  of  plain  causes,  and 
must  continue  so  long  as  the  causes  exist.  We  have  the 
back  country,  and  the  people  in  the  back  country,  to  sus- 
tain a  far  larger  city  than  Davenport  now  is. 

The  population  of  Davenport  is  principally  composed  of 
the  most  substantial  classes  of  Eastern  people.  'New  Eng- 
land is  largely  represented  in  our  midst,  with  enough  of 
Western  leaven  to  add  go-ahead  energy  to  backbone  ! 
The  clime  is  nearly  assimilated  to  that  of  IsTew  England — 
cold  dry  winters,  and  delightful  summers.  At  this  time, 
there  is  a  great  deal  of  cash  capital  coming  from  the  East 
to  this  place  seeking  investment.  Consequent  upon  this, 
in  part,  there  is  an  immense  amount  of  property  changing 
hands,  and  we  have  heard  of  no  sale  this  season,  nor  do  we 
expect  to  hear  of  one  made  under  ordinary  circumstances, 
in  which  the  seller  receives  not  a  full  remunerative  price. 
Property  in  the  city,  and  about  the  city,  is  steadily  in- 
creasing in  value,  with  no  prospect  of  cessation,  much  less 
of  revulsion.  It  is  7iot  above  what  it  should  be,  even  if  our 
city  had  no  prospect  of  future  swift  growth — but  on  the 
contrary,  it  must  continue  improving  with  the  progress  of 
the  city.  Property  in  several  other  upper  Mississippi  cities, 
not  really  so  large  as  Davenport,  is  almost  or  quite  double 
what  it  is  here,  and  rents  proportionately  higher.  In  those 
places  a  revulsion  should  be  expected.  Perhaps  it  were 
better  for  their  real  prosperity  that  it  should  speedily  take 
place,  as  the  present  condition  of  things  is  driving  to  other 
points  the  very  men  calculated  most  to  build  up  a  city.  A 
portion  of  our  daily  increase  of  population  is  made  up  of 
mechanics,  and  others,  who  cannot  go  to  other  places  if  they 
so  desire. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  141 


Thus  much  we  have  hastily  sketched  of  our  own  city  as 
it  is.  We  have  not  the  space  to  give  many  interesting 
fates  connected  with  our  city,  or  to  more  than  barely  touch 
upon  those  things  in  which  the  stranger  is  most  interested. 
Davenport  is  healthy  and  prosperous.  The  man  of  capital, 
or  the  man  depending  upon  his  skill,  or  strong  arm  alone, 
for  success,  and  seeking  a  new  home,  should  turn  his  eyes 
to  this  place.  Let  him  come  and  examine  for  himself. 
He  will  fiiid  at  this  point,  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  nearly 
thirty  thousand  people,  with  capital  and  labor  unitedly  ex- 
erting their  wonderful  influence,  and  more  capital  and  labor 
in  demand.  He  will  see  evidences  of  prosperity  and  pro- 
gress for  which  he  may  vainly  seek  among  the  younger  or 
smaller  cities  of  the  East  or  South.  Let  him  become  one 
of  us,  and  uniting  his  energies  and  industry  to  ours,  grow 
and  prosper  with  us." 


BIOGRAPHIES. 


.-  -  .^     -A 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  145 


CHAPTER     XIII 


COL.   GEO.  DAVEN"PORT, 


ONE  OP  THE   ORIGINAL    PKOPRIETORS   OP   DAVENPORT,  AND   AFTER   WHOM   THE    CITY 

WAS   NAMED. 


George  Davenport  was  born  in  the  year  1*783,  in  Lincolnshire,  England,  and, 
at  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  was  placed  with  an  Uncle  (master  of  a  Mer- 
chant ship)  to  learn  the  seafaring  business.  During  the  next  three  years,  he 
visited  many  seaports  on  the  Baltic,  and  of  France,  Spain,  and  Portugal.  In 
the  fall  of  1803,  the  ship  sailed  with  a  cargo  from  Liverpool  for  St.  Peters- 
burgh,  and  shortly  afterits  arrival  an  embargo  was  laid  upon  all  the  English 
vessels  in  that  port — the  vessels  taken  possession  of,  and  their  crews  thrown 
into  prison  by  the  Russian  Government.  The  crew  of  Mr.  Davenport's  vessel 
were  confined  in  an  old  stone  church,  where  they  remained  during  a  long  and 
dreary  winter,  suffering  very  much  from  cold  and  hunger.  In  the  Spring  they 
were  released,  and  their  vessel  restored  to  them.  After  returning  home,  their 
next  voyage  was  from  Liverpool  to  New  York,  with  a  cargo  of  goods — this  was 
in  the  summer  of  1804.  They  arrived  safely  at  their  destination,  and  had  dis- 
charged their  load,  and  taken  in  a  cargo  for  Liverpool,  and  were  on  the  eve  of 
sailing,  when  an  accident  took  place,  which  changed  the  whole  course  of  his 
life.  Every  thing  was  in  readiness  for  sailing,  they  had  commenced  to  heave 
up  the  anchor,  when  one  of  the  sailors  was  knocked  overboard.  Standing 
near  the  stern,  at  the  side  of  the  vessel,  Mr.  D.  saw  the  accident,  and  imme- 
diately jumped  into  a  small  boat,  and  caught  the  sailor  by  the  hair  as  he  was 
going  down  the  last  time — drawing  him  up,  and  holding  him  until  they  came 
to  his  assistance.  In  jumping  into  the  boat,  he  struck  one  of  the  seats,  and 
fractured  his  leg  very  badly ;  and  there  being  no  surgeon  on  board,  the  Captain 
had  him  taken  to  the  city,  and  placed  in  the  hospital,  with  directions  for  every 

19 


146  DAVENPORT 


possible  care  to  be  taken  of  him.  After  remaining  there  some  two  months,  he 
•was  advised  to  go  into  the  country  to  recruit  his  health.  Acting  upon  this 
advice,  he  went  to  New  Jersey,  and  stopped  at  the  pleasant  village  of  Rahway, 
where  he  remained  some  time,  and  then  went  to  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania.  While 
here,  he  became  acquainted  with  a  young  officer,  Lieut.  Lawrence,  who  was  re- 
cruiting for  the  army.  Taking  quite  a  liking  for  him,  he  proposed,  that  if  he 
would  enlist  he  would  get  him  the  appointment  of  Sergeant,  which  proposition 
was  accepted,  and  he  received  tlie  appointment  of  Sergeant  in  Capt.  McLeary's 
Company  of  the  First  Regiment  of  Infantry.  He  then  went  to  Harrisburg  on 
a  recruiting  expeditions,  and  remained  until  they  had  enlisted  the  number  of 
men  required,  after  which  they  returned  to  Carlisle  Barracks,  and  remained 
until  the  Spring  of  1806,  occupied  in  drilling,  and  learning  all  the  arts  of  war. 

They  then  received  orders  to  join  the  army  at  New  Orleans,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Gen.  Wilkinson.  They  walked  across  the  mountains  to  Pittsburgh, 
and  there  they  procured  boats,  and  rowed  down  the  river  to  New  Orleans. 

On  their  arrival  at  that  city,  they  were  kept  constantly  at  work  repairing 
and  building  new  fortifications,  and  putting  the  place  in  a  state  of  defence. 
During  that  Summer,  the  soldiers  suffered  very  much  from  sickness.  In  the 
Fall,  the  troops  received  orders  to  march  to  Sabine  River,  against  the 
Spaniards  ;  which  expedition  has  since  been  known  as  the  "  Sabine  Expe- 
dition." The  troops  were  placed  in  keel  boats,  and  worked  their  way  up  the 
Mississippi  and  Red  River,  suffering  every  kind  of  hardship  and  fatigue,  hot 
weather,  bad  water,  and  any  quantity  of  musquitoes  could  afford,  before  they 
arrived  at  Nachetochez.  During  this  trip,  Mr.  D.  steered  one  of  the  boats, 
and  came  very  near  being  drowned.  In  consequence  of  the  boats  sheering 
and  swinging  around,  the  steering  oar  knocked  him  into  the  river,  but  fortu- 
nately, as  he  came  up,  he  seized  hold  of  the  blade  of  the  oar,  and  held  on 
until  he  was  rescued.  After  remaining  here  a  short  time,  he  was  sent  by  Gen. 
Wilkinson  with  dispatches  to  "  Fort  Adams,"  on  the  Mississippi.  He  took  one 
man  with  him,  got  his  provisions  into  a  canoe,  and  started  down  Red  River. 
When  they  had  reached  the  great  bend,  they  met  with  an  accident,  that  came 
near  losing  them  their  lives.  The  canoe  struck  a  snag,  and  upget  them  in  the 
river,  but  by  clinging  to  the  drift  wood,  they  made  out  to  reach  the  shore, 
making  a  narrow  escape  with  their  lives.  Losing  their  canoe,  and  all  of  their 
provisions,  they  were  now  obliged  to  strike  across  the  country  to  the  Missis- 
sippi, traveling  over  swamps,  bayous,  sloughs,  having  frequently  to  get  logs 
together,  and  make  rafts  to  cross  on. 

During  this  travel,  they  were  nearly  eaten  up  by  musquitoes.  At  night 
they  would  build  a  fire,  and  make  a  dense  smoke,  to  keep  them  off.  While  one 
of  them  would  sleep,  the  other  would  watch,  keep  up  the  fire,  and  looking  out 
for  "  Alligators."  They  were  several  days  in  reaching  "Fort  Adams,"  and 
were  nearly  worn  out,  living  only  upon  what  berries  and  wild  fruit  they  could 
find. 

Peace  being  made  with  the  Spaniards,  Gen.  Wilkinson  returned  with  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  147 


troops  to  New  Orleans,  and  as  soon  as  they  arrived,  they  commenced  to  put 
the  place  in  a  state  of  defence  against  the  "Burr  Expedition,"  which  was  on 
its  way  down  the  river.  There  was  great  excitement  in  the  city.  The  military 
were  kept  constantly  on  duty,  and  in  a  short  time  the  city  was  declared  under 
Martial  Law.  During  this  time,  Mr.  D.  was  on  duty  as  "  Orderly"  to  Gen. 
"Wilkinson.  About  the  middle  of  December,  1806,  he  was  sent  with  a  guard  to 
arrest  Dr.  Errick  BoUman,  which  was  effected  about  twelve  o'clock  at  night. 
They  surrounded  the  house,  posting  sentinels  around  it  to  prevent  any  possible 
escape.  When  they  knocked  at  the  door,  a  person  came  and  opened  it,  and 
enquired  what  they  wanted.  They  replied  "  Dr.  BoUman."  The  person 
stated  the  Doctor  was  not  there.  They,  however,  entered,  searched  the 
house,  and  found  the  Doctor  in  his  room,  dressing  himself,  when  they  arrested 
him  for  "  Treason,"  taking  him  down  to  the  Fort  for  safe  keeping. 

During  the  stay  of  the  troops  in  New  Orleans,  they  suffered  dreadfully  from 
sickness,  not  being  accustomed  to  the  climate.  It  frequently  became  Mr.  D.'s 
turn  to  take  charge  of  the  men  detailed  to  bury  the  dead.  This  was  a  dread- 
ful duty.  The  graves  could  not  be  sunk  more  than  three  feet,  owing  to  the 
water  being  so  near  the  surface,  while  the  men  had  to  bail  out  the  water  as 
they  dug  the  graves ;  and  when  the  coffin  was  put  in,  they  had  to  hold  it  down 
with  their  spades  until  the  grave  could  be  filled  up  with  earth  to  keep  the 
coffin  from  floating.  The  sun's  scorching  heat,  and  the  intolerable  stench  from 
the  shallow  graves,  made  this  the  hardest  duty  that  was  possible  for  any  one  to 
perform,  and  a  great  many  lost  their  lives  from  the  effects  of  it.  After  the 
arrest  of  "Burr,"  and  his  associates,  and  every  thing  had  quieted  down,  most 
of  the  troops  were  sent  to  Natchez,  Fort  Adams,  and  other  more  healthy  places. 

In  the  Spring  of  1807,  Mr.  D.  was  sent  with  a  party  of  troops  to  the  Hom- 
ichita  River,  in  the  Choctaw  Country,  where  they  built  a  Block  House,  and 
remained  there  until  Fall,  when  they  returned  to  Natchez.  Mr.  D.  then  re- 
ceived orders  to  go  on  a  recruiting  expedition  to  fill  the  regiment,  which  was 
nearly  decimated  by  losses  from  sickness.  He  sailed  from  New  Orleans  to 
Philadelphia,  where  he  enlisted  quite  a  number  of  men;  going  from  there  to 
Baltimore,  and  thence  to  Winchester,  Virginia,  1809.  Here  he  remained  until 
the  Spring  of  1810,  when  he  was  ordered  West  to  join  his  regiment.  They 
walked  over  the  mountains  to  Pittsburgh.  Here  they  procured  keel  boats, 
and  proceeded  down  the  Ohio,  then  up  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  to  the 
Barracks,  at  Bellcfontaine.  lie  remained  here  until  the  Summer  of  1812,  when 
he  went  with  Capt.  Owens'  Company,  in  boats,  up  the  Mississippi,  to  an  Island 
just  below  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois.  Here  they  built  temporary  fortifications, 
and  remained  until  Fall,  to  protect  St.  Louis  and  the  settlements  from  being 
attacked  by  the  Indians. 

About  this  time.  Gen.  Howard  organized  an  expedition  to  go  against  the 
Indians  on  the  Illinois  river,  at  Peoria  Lake,  where  the  Pottawotamies  had 
several  villages.  The  regular  troops  were  ordered  to  proceed  by  water  to 
Peoria,  while  the  rangers  and  volunteers  proceeded  across  the  country.     They 


got  their  keel  boats  in  readiness,  and  had  the  "  Cargo  Boxes"  double  planked, 
so  as  to  make  them  ball  proof — made  loop  and  port  holes  for  musketry  and 
light  pieces  of  cannon.  They  arrived  at  the  foot  of  Peoria  Lake  -without  see- 
ing any  Indians — landed  their  men,  and  commenced  to  build  a  Block  House  on 
the  top  of  a  high  bank,  which  overlooked  the  prairie  for  some  distance.  After 
finishing  this,  they  sunk  a  -well  to  supply  it  with  water.  Having  arranged 
things  so  as  to  draw  up  the  water  with  a  sweep,  it  was  necessary  to  have  a 
grape  vine  to  attach  to  the  pole.  Mr.  D.  having  noticed  some  grape  vines  in 
the  woods,  a  short  distance  from  the  Block  House,  took  a  man  with  him  to  get 
one,  and  soon  found  the  article  in  question.  They  cut  it,  and  were  trimming 
it,  when  an  unusual  sound  attracted  their  attention.  They  became  alarmed, 
and  started  for  the  Fort,  and  when  they  reached  the  edge  of  the  timber  he 
climbed  a  tree  to  reconnoiter  the  prairie  in  the  direction  of  the  Block  House, 
and  to  his  horror  be  beheld  the  prairie  swarming  with  Indians,  moving  toward 
the  Block  House.  He  descended  as  fast  as  possible,  and  told  his  companion 
that  their  only  chance  of  escape  was  by  getting  under  the  bank,  and  running 
for  their  lives  along  the  shore  of  the  lake,  endeavoring  thus  to  reach  the 
Block  House  before  the  Indians  discovered  them.  They  started,  but  were  not 
half  way  to  the  Fort  before  the  battle  commenced.  The  firing  from  the  Block 
House,  and  the  yells  of  the  Indians  on  the  prairie  above  them,  increased  their 
speed  "considerable,"  and  they  made,  perhaps,  the  fastest  time  ever  known. 
When  they  approached  near  the  Block  House,  they  found  it  was  impossible  to 
reach  it,  as  the  Indians  were  nearer  than  they  were,  and  their  only  chance  now 
was  to  get  to  the  gun  boats  at  the  lake.  "When  they  were  about  half  way  to 
the  boats,  the  Indians  discovered  them,  and  commenced  firing  at  them,  and, 
yelling  like  a  pack  of  devils,  made  towards  the  boats.  This  alarmed  the  men 
on  board,  who  commenced  to  push  out  into  the  lake,  but,  fortunately,  one  of 
the  boats  grounded  on  a  sand  bar,  which  accident  saved  Mr.  D.  and  his  com- 
panion. They  rushed  into  the  water,  and,  wading  to  the  boat,  put  their 
shoulders  to  the  bow,  and  pushed  it  into  deep  water.  During  all  this  time  the 
Indians  were  firing  at  them,  and  the  balls  kept  whizing  by,  making  it  anything 
but  comfortable.  They  soon  got  on  board,  and  under  cover.  Mr.  D.  deter- 
mined on  revenge,  and  pointing  one  of  the  small  cannon,  he  took  good  aim  at 
the  red  skins,  and  applied  the  match.  The  gun  missed  fire.  While  hunting  for 
a  primer,  some  one  elevated  the  piece  too  high.  AYhen  he  applied  the  match, 
the  piece  went  ofi"  with  a  tremendous  explosion,  so  much  so  that  he  thought 
the  whole  boat  was  blown  up.  The  muzzle  of  the  gun  had  been  elevated 
above  the  edge  of  the  port  hole,  and  when  it  went  off,  the  whole  load  struck 
the  side  of  the  boat.  By  this  time  the  brisk  fire  kept  up  from  the  Block  House 
and  boats,  obliged  the  Indians  to  retreat. 

Nothing  of  any  importance  occurred  until  about  the  first  of  December,  when 
a  large  party  of  Pottawottamies  arrived  with  a  "  white  flag,"  and  sent  in  three 
of  their  Chiefs  to  the  Fort,  and  proposed  to  meet  the  Commanding  oflScer  in 
Council.      This  was  agreed  to,  and  arrangements  were  made  for  the  meeting  a 


PAST  AKD  PRESENT.  149 


certain  number  of  Chiefs  and  Braves  in  Council.  A  place  and  time  were  agreed 
upon,  and  when  the  time  arrived,  about  forty  of  the  principal  Chiefs  and 
Braves  approached  the  place,  dressed  in  their  full  Indian  costume,  headed  by 
their  principal  Chief,  the  old  Black  Partridge.  They  were  met  by  the  Com- 
manding officer,  and  all  the  officers  of  the  post.  After  shaking  hands,  and 
passing  around  the  Peace  Pipe,  the  old  Chief  explained  his  business.  They 
wished  to  be  friends  with  the  Americans,  to  stop  war,  and  make  a  treaty  of 
peace  with  him.  The  Commanding  officer  complimented  them  for  the  decision, 
and  promised  to  send  their  talk  to  the  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs,  Gen. 
Clark,  at  St.  Louis,  as  he  had  no  orders  or  authority  to  treat  with  them.  He 
proposed  that  they  should  send  a  delegation  of  their  Chiefs  and  Warriors  to  St. 
Louis,  and  he  agreed  to  send  some  of  his  soldiers  with  them,  to  see  them  safe 
through  the  white  settlements.  This  was  agreed  to.  So  they  selected  thirteen 
of  their  principal  men,  and  one  woman.  The  Commander  ordered  Mr.  Daven- 
port to  select  four  trusty  men,  and  take  charge  of  the  Indians,  and  escort  them 
to  St.  Louis.  This  was  rather  an  unpleasant  duty,  for  five  men  to  start  out 
with  a  lot  of  hostile  Indians,  but  it  had  to  be  done — there  was  nothing  to  be 
done  but  to  obey  orders,  and  accordingly  he  got  a  sufficient  supply  of  pro- 
visions, and  placed  them  aboard  of  a  Perogue,  and  embarking  his  party, 
started  down  the  Illinois  river.  The  principal  Chiefs  were  Gomo,  Senatchwine, 
Shiggashack,  Comas,  and  Black  Partridge.  They  had  traveled  but  one  day, 
when  the  river  froze  up,  obliging  them  to  abandon  their  boat,  and  travel  by 
land.  Each  took  a  small  quantity  of  provisions,  the  remainder  was  rolled  up, 
and  placed  in  a  hollow  tree.  With  the  provisions,  they  also  had  a  small  keg 
of  whisky,  and  after  giving  each  one  of  the  party  a  dram,  it  was  proposed  to 
hide  it  with  the  provisions,  so  that  the  Indians  could  have  it  on  their  return, 
but  the  old  Black  Partridge  insisted  that  they  should  drink  it  all  then.  Mr.  D. 
told  him  he  could  not  do  so.  He  then  directed  them  to  move  on,  and  his  men 
to  follow  in  the  rear,  while  he  remained  to  put  away  the  keg  of  liquor.  After 
they  were  out  of  sight,  he  took  the  keg  and  concealed  it  in  a  different  place 
from  that  mentioned  to  the  Indians,  having  become  alarmed  at  their  con- 
duct, and  being  afraid  they  would  return,  and  take  the  liquor,  and  get  drunk. 
In  that  case,  they  were  sure  to  have  trouble,  and,  perhaps,  lose  their  lives. 
Hq  soon  overtook  the  company,  but  all  day  the  Old  Black  Partridge  was  very 
moody  and  discontented.  At  night  they  encamped  on  a  point  of  the  river  • 
and  be  managed  to  place  the  Indians  on  the  point,  and  his  own  camp  behind 
them,  so  that  they  could  not  go  back  without  his  knowing  it.  Each  had  a 
guard  to  watch  the  other.  They  traveled,  in  this  cautious  manner,  two  or 
three  days,  when  they  discovered  a  smoke  across  the  prairie,  which  alarmed 
the  Indians.  They  stated  that  there  was  a  large  war  party  of  Sacs  out,  and 
thought  from  the  smoke  it  must  be  them,  and  if  they  saw  them  they  would  be 
killed,  they  could  not  be  saved  from  these  formidable  braves.  This  was  not 
very  comfortable  news,  but  they  avoided  the  danger  by  avoiding  the  prairie 
and  following  the  timber,  and  making  no  fii-e  at  night.     They  traveled  on  for  a 


150  DAVENPORT 


nuftiber  of  days,  and  when  they  began  to  approach  the  Mississippi  a  new 
danger  began  to  threaten  the  imagination  of  the  Indians.  The  ISangers  were 
ordered  to  scour  the  country  as  far  up  as  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois,  and  there 
was  great  danger  of  falling  in  with  them,  and  their  firing  on  them  before  the 
Rangers  discovered  that  there  were  any  whites  with  them.  When  camping  at 
night,  the  whites  hung  their  hats  and  coats  upon  poles,  so  that  in  case  of  an 
approach  of  the  Rangers,  the  Indians  would  not  be  fired  upon. 

In  this  way  they  traveled,  and,  after  suffering  very  much  from  the  inclem- 
ency of  the  weather,  and  from  hunger,  they  arrived  at  St.  Louis,  and  were 
very  well  received,  and  were  soon  called  to  the  Council  Chamber,  and  a  treaty 
concluded  with  the  Indians,  who  left  five  of  their  number  as  hostages  for  its 
fulfilment. 

Gov.  Clark  enquired  of  Mr.  Davenport  "  how  it  had  been  possible  for  him, 
and  his  party,  to  reach  the  white  settlements  without  being  seen  by  the 
Rangers,  who  were  ordered  to  guard  the  frontiers  from  a  surprise  by  the 
Indians  ?"  Mr.  Davenport  replied,  "  that  he  had  not  seen  any  thing  of  the 
Rangers,  nor  any  signs  of  their  ever  having  been  to  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois." 
Some  of  the  ofiBcers  of  the  Rangers  were  present,  and  overheard  the  conversa- 
tion, and  when  they  left,  they  swore  they  would  show  Mr.  Davenport's  party 
whether  there  were  rangers  on  the  look  out  or  not. 

Gov.  Clark  supplied  the  Chiefs  with  presents  and  provisions,  and  directed 
Mr.  Davenport  to  take  the  party  up  the  river  in  a  Perogue,  and  land  them  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  river,  on  the  north  side,  so  that  they  might  return 
home  in  safety.  After  getting  every  thing  in  order,  they  started  on  their  re- 
turn. They  were  obliged  to  keep  on  the  Missouri  side  all  the  way  up,  for  fear 
of  the  Rangers  firing  on  them,  as  they  were  very  angry  at  the  statements  that 
had  been  made  by  Mr.  Davenport,  and  had  sworn  vengeance  against  him  and 
his  party  on  their  return.     They,  however,  reached  home  in  safety. 

Mr.  Davenport  returned  to  Bellefontaine,  and  remained  there  until  the  Spring 
of  1814,  when  the  first  regiment  was  ordered  to  join  Gen.  Brown  on  the 
Canada  line.  They  shipped  on  keel  boats,  and  went  down  the  Mississippi, 
and  up  the  Ohio  to  Pittsburgh.  They  then  crossed  over  the  mountains  by 
forced  marches,  until  they  arrived  at  the  town  of  Erie.  They  immediately 
embarked  on  two  vessels,  and  sailed  to  Fort  Erie,  where  they  were  ordered* to 
be  reviewed.  They  put  themselves  in  as  good  order  as  possible,  paraded,  and 
received  orders  at  once  to  march  to  Lundy's  Lane,  and  arrived  in  time  to  be 
in  the  hottest  part  of  the  battle.  This  was  very  hard  service,  as  they  had  just 
performed  a  long  and  fatiguing  journey  without  an  hour's  rest.  But  the  army 
was  hard  pressed,  and  had  need  of  every  man  that  could  be  brought  into 
action  during  the  battle.  Mr.  Davenport  had  to  assist  in  taking  one  of  the 
officers,  who  was  severely  wounded,  from  the  field,  and  laid  his  musket  down 
to  perform  the  service,  and  when  he  returned  it  was  gone.  He  soon  found  one 
by  the  side  of  a  British  soldier,  which  he  took,  and  found  to  be  one  of  the 
"  Glengarian  Muskets,"  a  very  excellent  exchange  for  the  one  he  had  lost, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  151 


(this  old  relic  is  still  kept  in  the  family,  in  memory  of  the  war.)  Mr.  Daven- 
port was  in  many  very  perilous  situations  during  this  service  time,  often  being 
placed  on  piquet-guard  duty,  and  during  the  siege  of  *'  Fort  Erie,"  he  was  on 
duty  at  one  of  the  batteries  night  and  day,  with  scarcely  a  moment's  rest.  He 
was  also  on  duty  at  Black  Rock,  in  charge  of  a  battery,  a  part  of  the  time. 
At  the  time  of  the  "  sortie,"  he  was  one  of  the  attacking  party  which  drove 
the  British  from  their  works.  After  the  seige  was  over,  the  troops  crossed 
back  again  to  Buffalo,  and  the  First  Regiment  marched  to  Pittsburgh,  and 
then  by  boats  to  Bellefontaine.  After  being  there  a  short  time,  his  term  of 
service  expired,  and  he  got  an  honorable  discharge,  having  given  his  adopted 
country  ten  years  of  very  active  duty,  and  of  the  very  best  part  of  his  life.  At 
this  time,  he  was  employed  by  Col.  AVm.  Morrison,  of  Kentucky,  Government 
Contractor,  as  his  agent  to  supply  the  troops  with  provisions — the  Commissary 
Department  being  at  that  time  under  the  management  of  the  Contractors.  He 
now  came  to  St.  Louis,  and  took  charge  of  several  keel  boats,  loaded  with  the 
necessary  provisions.  A  large  drove  of  cattle  were  also  purchased,  and  driven 
through  the  country.  They  started  up  the  river,  and  arrived  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Des  Moines  River  late  in  the  Fall,  and  concluded  to  stop  there  for  the 
Winter  ;  and  built  a  number  of  log  huts  for  the  men,  and  for  storing  the  pro- 
visions. It  being  so  late,  it  was  difficult  to  build  huts  in  sufficient  numbers. 
The  best  he  could  do,  was  to  put  poles  into  the  ground,  and  nail  up  green 
hides  for  siding  and  roofing,  and  when  they  got  dry,  they  made  a  tolerably 
warm  house.  This  ^Post  was  called  "  Cantonment  Davis."  The  next  year, 
"  Fort  Edwards"  was  built  here. 

In  the  Spring  of  1816,  the  Eighth  Regiment,  and  a  Company  of  Riflemen, 
under  the  command  of  Col.  Lawrence,  (the  very  same  ofiBcer  and  friend  with 
whom  Mr.  Davenport  had  enlisted  ten  years  before,)  embarked  on  boats, 
and  started  up  the  river.  They  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  Rock  River,  &,nd  ex- 
amined the  country  for  a  site  for  a  Fort,  and  the  result  was  the  selecting  of 
the  lower  end  of  Rock  Island  as  the  most  suitable  point.  They  landed  on 
Rock  Island  on  the  tenth  of  May,  1816.  As  soon  as  they  had  completed  their 
encampment,  he  employed  the  soldiers  to  cut  logs,  and  built  store  houses  for 
the  provisions,  and  had  a  bake  house  and  oven  put  up.  This  was  the  first 
building  ever  erected  on  this  Island.  iThe  soldiers  now  set  to  work  to  build 
the  Fort,  which  was  named  "  Fort  Armstrong."  At  this  time,  there  lived  a 
large  body  of  Indians  in  the  vicinity,  numbering  some  ten  thousand,  divided 
in  three  villages,  one  on  the  East  side  of  the  River,  near  the  foot  of  the  Island, 
called  "  Waupellow  Village,"  and  about  three  miles  South,  on  the  bank  of 
Rock  River,  stood  the  famous  village  of  "  Black  Hawk,"  and  on  the  West  side 
of  the  River  stood  a  small  village  named  after  an  old  Brave,  "  Oskosh."  Upon 
the  first  arrival  of  the  troops  on  the  Island,  the  Indians  were  very  much  dis- 
satisfied, but  the  officers  took  great  pains  to  gain  their  friendship  by  making 
them  many  presents,  and  they  soon  became  reconciled,  and  were  most  excel- 
lent neighbors.     During  the  first  Summer  they  would  frequently  bring  over 


152  DAVENPORT 


supplies  of  sweet  corn,  beans,  pumpkins,  and  such  other  vegetables  as  they 
raised,  and  present  them  to  Mr.  Davenport,  and  the  officers,  with  the  remark) 
that  they  had  raised  none,  and  that  they  themselves  had  plenty,  invariably 
refusing  to  take  any  pay. 

During  the  first  Summer  an  incident  occurred,  which  gave  Mr.  Davenport  an 
Indian  name.  Some  of  his  cattle  having  strayed  oflf  the  Island,  he  took  some 
men,  and  went  over  to  look  for  them,  in  the  bottom,  at  the  mouth  of  Rock 
River,  but  not  iinding  them,  they  were  returning  along  the  bank  of  the  river, 
in  front  of  the  Indian  village.  When  opposite  some  of  the  lodges,  a  party  of 
drunken  Indians  came  rushing  out  towards  them — his  men  took  to  their  heels, 
but  he  stood  his  ground  ;  some  dozen  of  the  drunken  Indians  seized  him  by 
the  arms,  legs,  and  coat-tail,  while  another  drunken  fellow  held  a  large  black 
bottle  in  his  hand,  and  would  stagger  up  and  try  to  hit  him  on  the  head  with 
it,  which  blow  would  require  all  his  strength  to  dodge.  This  manoeuver  was 
repeated  a  number  of  times,  until  he  was  nearly  exhausted,  and  had  about 
made  up  his  mind  that  the  "  cursed  Indian"'  would  break  his  head  with  the 
bottle,  when  an  old  Indian,  a  friend  of  his,  happened  to  see  what  was  going 
on,  when  he  cried  out  "  Saganosh,  Saganosh!"  ("he  is  an  Englishman.") 
These  words  operated  like  magic — they  loosed  holds,  and  commenced  to  shake 
him  by  the  hands,  and  endeavored  to  be  the  cleverest  fellows  in  the  world.  He 
was  ever  afterward  known,  by  the  different  tribes,  as  "  Saganosh."  At  this 
time  he  resided  near  the  Fort,  and  continued  to  supply  the  troops  with  pro- 
visions, but  in  the  second  year,  he  built  a  double  log  cabin  and  store-house 
adjoining,  about  a  half  mile  from  the  Fort,  and  where  the  present  residence  is. 
He  now,  with  what  little  money  he  had  saved,  purchased  a  small  stock  of 
Indian  goods,  and  commenced  the  "  Indian  Trader."  At  this  time  there  was 
a  large  tribe  of  Winnebagoes,  or,  as  the  French  called  them.  Peons,  that  in- 
habited Rock  River  country  and  the  Winnebago  Swamps.  This  tribe  had  a 
very  bad  name,  and  were  always  very  hostile  and  treacherous,  and  they  had 
been  in  the  habit,  for  several  years  before,  when  a  trader  came  among  them 
with  goods,  to  kill  him,  and  take  the  goods,  as  the  easiest  way  of  making  ja 
short  bargain,  so  that  the  French  traders  had  been  afraid,  for  some  time,  to 
go  among  them.  Mr.  Davenport,  not  knowing  much  about  the  Indians  at  this 
time,  and  hearing  that  they  had  large  quantities  of  furs,  and  that  no  traders 
had  visited  them  for  some  time,  concluded  that  this  would  be  the  best  place 
for  him  to  trade  in.  As  soon  as  the  French  Traders,  (most  of  whom  were  in 
the  employ  of  the  American  Fur  Company,)  heard  of  it,  they  advised  him  not 
to  attempt  it,  as  he  would  be  killed  and  robbed,  but  he  determined  to  try  it, 
and  fitted  out  five  or  six  pack-horses,  loaded  them  with  goods,  and  taking  two 
Canadians,  Gokey  and  Degree,  with  him,  started  up  Rock  River.  They  soon 
reached  the  Winnebago  encampment.  He  immediately  got  the  Chiefs  and 
principal  men  together,  and  made  them  a  "  talk."  He  told  them  he  had  heard 
that  they  were  in  want  of  many  kind  of  goods,  and  that  they  had  plenty  of 
furs,  so  he  had  come  up  to  trade  with  them,  but  that  before  he  had  started  he 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  15i 


had  been  told  that  they  were  a  very  bad  people,  and  was  advised  not  to  go 
among  them,  but  he  did  not  believe  these  stories,  and  that  he  had  come  among 
them  to  see  fov  himself.  The  Chiefs  shook  him  by  the  hand,  and  expressed 
great  satisfaction  at  the  confidence  he  had  in  them,  and  assured  him  if  he 
would  trade  with  them,  he  should  never  have  cause  to  complain.  They  then 
sent  a  cryer  through  the  different  encampments,  to  announce  the  arrival  of  a 
trader,  and  that  they  must  treat  him  well.  He  now  unpacked  his  horses, 
and  placed  his  goods  in  one  of  the  lodges,  which  was  offered  him.  He  com- 
menced to  trade,  and  soon  sold  all  his  goods,  and  had  received  the  best  kind 
of  Furs  in  payment,  and  at  very  good  profits.  He  now  loaded  up  his  horses, 
and  started  back  with  Gokey,  leaving  Degree  in  charge  of  a  part  o£  the  Furs, 
while  he  returned  to  get  another  supply  of  goods.  He  now  visited  all  the  dif- 
ferent encampments,  and  met  with  very  good  treatment — his  trade  soon  in- 
creased so  largely  that  he  established  several  trading  posts  on  Rock  River,  and 
maintained  them  for  many  years,  making  a  very  profitable  business. 

At  this  early  time,  most  of  the  Indian  goods  were  brought  from  "  Mackinac" 
through  Green  Bay,  then  up  the  Fox  River  to  the  "Portage,"  there  packed 
across  to  the  Wisconsin  River,  then  down  the  Mississippi  in  "  Mackinaw  Boats." 
He  once  sent  an  order  to  Mackinaw  for  an  assortment  of  Indian  goods,  camp- 
ing equipage,  four  hands,  and  a  Mackinaw  boat,  and  everything  complete,  was 
delivered  to  them  at  Rock  Island. 

His  employees  were  Canadians,  hired  for  three  years,  at  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  dollars  per  year,  and  were  very  faithful  hands.  Shortly  after  he 
had  commenced  trading  up  Rock  River  he  made  a  very  narrow  escape.  About 
this  time  several  war  parties  had  gone  to  attack  the  settlements,  one  of  which 
had  been  unfortunate,  and  had  lost  some  of  their  men,  so  that,  on  their  return 
the  relations  of  those  that  were  killed  felt  very  hostile,  and  determined  to  be 
revenged  at  the  first  opportunity.  Not  knowing  anything  of  this  state  of 
things,  Mr.  Davenport  packed  up  some  goods  on  four  or  five  horses,  taking 
Gokey  with  him,  and  started  up  Rock  River.  They  arrived  at  Prophets  Town, 
and  went  immediately  to  their  old  friend,  "Wetaico's  Lodge."  The  old  man 
met  them,  but  seemed  much  alarmed.  He  shook  them  by  the  hand,  and  said 
he  was  very  sorry  they  had  come  at  this  time;  lie  was  afraid  they  would  be 
killed,  as  there  was  a  war  party  just  about  to  start  from  the  upper  end  of  the 
village,  headed  by  the  "  Crane,"  who  had  lost  some  relatives,  but  that  he 
would  do  all  he  could  to  save  them.  Tais  was  said  to  them  in  the  Chippewa 
Tongue,  as  that  was  generally  used  by  the  traders.  He  invited  them  to  sit 
down,  when  the  yells  of  an  approaching  party  of  Indians  was  heard.  He  told 
them  to  keep  cool,  and  show  no  signs  of  alarm.  In  a  few  minutes  a  large 
crowd  surrounded  the  lodge,  whooping  and  yelling  like  so  many  "  devils.' 
The  old  man  now  stepped  to  the  door  of  his  lodge,  and  enquired  what  they 
wanted,  (in  the  Winnebago  language.)  They  replied  that  "  they  had  come  to 
kill  the  white  men."  The  old  man  now  made  tliem  a  long  speech,  claiming 
the  rights  of  hospitality,  and  the  sacredness  of  his  lodge.      He  told  them  they 

20 


154  DAVENPORT 


were  fools  !     "Why  be  in  so  great  a  hurrj'?     That  they  had  plenty'of  time,  as 
the  trader  was  going  to  encamp  just  below  the  village,  and  would  remain  three 
or  four  days  to  trade!     This  seemed  reasonable,  and  the  crowd  assented  to  it, 
and  retired.     The  old  man  returned,  and  said  he  could  save  them,  but  they 
must  follow  strictly  his  council.     He  then  directed  them  to  go  just  below  the 
Tillage,  and  pitch  their  teni  near  the  bank  of  the  river— unpack  their  goods, 
turn  out  their  horses,  and  make  every  preparation  for  remaining  several  days, 
and  in  the  meantime  he  would  place  a  light  canoe  .and  paddles  a  little  way 
below  their  tent,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  dark,  to  slip  away  from  their  camp- 
fire,  jump  into  the  canoe,  and  float  down  the  river  until  they  were  out  of  hear- 
ing of  the  village,  and  then  to  paddle  for  their  lives,  but  to  lay  by  in  the  high 
grass  in  the  day  time,  as  they  might  be  pursued,  and  headed  off  across  some 
of  the  bends  of  the  river.     They  followed  his  advice  strictly,  put  up  their  tent 
built   a  fire,  and   spanceled  their  horses,  arranged   their  goods,    and  made 
preparations  for  cooking.     Some  few  Indians  came  to  them,  and  desired  to 
trade,  but  they  put  them  off  until  nest  day,   on  the  score  of  fatigue.     They 
did  this  to  throw  them   off  their  guard.     The  hours  seemed  very  long,  but 
darkness  came  at  last,  and  they  stole   away  from  their  encampment,  reached 
the  canoe,  and  floated  quietly  down  the  river,  and  as  soon  as  they  were  out  of 
sight  of  the  camp-fires,  they  began  to  paddle  their  canoe  swiftly  down  Rock 
River.     Several  times,  during  the  night,  they  saw  camp-fires  ahead   of  4hem, 
on  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  were  obliged  to  drift  past  them  on""the  opposite 
side,  under  the  shadow  of  the  bank.     As  soon  as  it  was  day-light,  they  landed, 
hauled  their  canoe  into  the  tall  grass,  and  concealed  themselves  during  the 
day,  and  when  it  was  dark,  they  started  again,  and  paddled  all  night.     Next 
morning  they  found  themselves  at  the  mouth  of  Rock  River,  and  soon  reached 
Rock  Island. 

Sometime  afterwards  "Old  Wetaico"  visited  Rock  Island,  when  he  gave  an 
account  of  what  occurred.  The  next  morning  after  the  escape,  he  said,  the 
whole  village  turned  out — men,  women,  and  children,  marched  down  to  the 
tent  headed  by  the  "Crane"  and  his  war  party,  armed  with  their  tomahawks?, 
bows  and  arrows,  and  painted — singing  their  "war  song,"  and  beating  their 
drums.  They  advanced,  dancing  their  war  dance,  and  surrounded  the  tent. 
But  they  soon  found  "  that  white  man  is  very  uncertain." 

Owing  to  the  bad  feeling  of  this  part  of  the  tribe,  he  did  not  go  among  them 
for  some  time  afterward.  The  Winnebagoes  frequently  came  down  to  the 
Island  to  trade,  in  small  parties,  but  they  appeared  very  sullen  and  shy.  They 
did  not  like  to  visit  the  Fort  much.  Mr.  Davenport  felt  satisfied  that  if  they 
got  a  good  opportunity  they  would  kill  some  of  the  whites. 

In  1818,  Mr.  Davenport  gave  up  the  agency  of  supplying  the  troops,  and 
turned  his  attention  entirely  to  the  Indian  trade.  He  made  arrangements  for 
building  him  a  house  and  store,  and  got  the  commanding  officer  (Col.  Morgan,) 
to  point  out  the  place  where  he  could  build  without  interfering  with  the  Forts. 
The  place  selected  was  the  one  where  his  late  residence  now  stands.      He  put 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  155 


up  a  double  log  cabin,  with  a  chimney  between  them.  He  now  went  to  St. 
Louis,  and  purchased  a  supply  of  goods  and  provisions,  and  bought  a  small 
keel  boat,  ("Flying  3etsey,")  loaded  her  with  them,  and  returned  to  Rock 
Island.      " 

Heretofore,  Mr.  Davenport  had  confined  his  trade  principally  to  the  Winne- 
bagoes,  but  he  now  corrioienced  to  trade  with  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  in  opposition 
to  the  "American  Fur  Company's"  traders.  During  the  Winter  he  was  con- 
stantly traversing  the  prairies  of  Iowa,  and  visiting  every  encampment  in  per- 
son. He,  in  this  way,  selected  all  the  best  furs,  while  the  old  French  traders 
had  very  little  energy,  and  Seldom  left  their  trading  post.  In  the  Spring,  he 
would  have  all  his  furs  and  skins  nicely  packed  and  prepared — feathers  all 
sacked,  bees-wax  and  deers  tallow  all  barreled — then  would  load  his  boat,  and 
go  to  St.  Louis,  and  sell  his  cargo,  which  always  commanded  the  highest 
market  price,  owing  to  the  good  condition  in  which  everything  was  put  up. 

It  was  customary,  with  the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians,  residing  in  this  vicinity, 
when  they  had  finished  planting  their  corn,  for  the  young  men  to  go  on  a 
Summer  hunt  for  Bufi'alo  and  Deer,  while  the  old  men,  and  most  of  the  women 
would  go  up  to  the  "lead  mines"  in  their  canoes,  and  dig  mineral,  smelt 
it  in  log  furnaces,  and  return  back  again  about  the  time  their  corn  would  be 
fit  to  eat.  On  these  occasions  he  would  load  his  keel  boat  with  provisions, 
and,,  a  few  goods,  and  go  up  to  Fever  River,  (or,  "  Mau-cau-pi-a-sepo,"  or 
Small^^o}:  liiver,  as  the  Indians  called  it,)  and  trade  with  Elfe  Indians  for  their 
lead.  He  also  visited  the  mines  on  the  West  side  of  the  Mississippi,  (where 
the  Dubuque  mines  were,)  and  obtained  large  quantities  of  lead  of  them, 
which  branch  ofjgBj^trade  was  very  valuable. 

In  the  Fall  orT^O,  Mr.  Davenport,  and  his  family,  came  very  near  being 
massacred  by  the  Winnebagoes.  A  party  of  twenty  of  whom,  headed  by  the 
"  Crane,"  arrived  about  sun-down,  and  said  they  wanted  to  trade.  He  told 
them  he  never  opened  his  store  after  sun-down,  that  they  would  have  to  wait 
until  next  day.  At  this,  they  seemed  to  be  very  much  dissatisfied,  but  he  in- 
vited them  into  the  room  occupied  by  his  men,  (adjoining  the  room  he  lived 
in,)  and  gave  them  plenty  to  eat,  and  pipes  and  tobacco,  and  told  them  they 
could  sleep  on  the  floor,  in  front  of  the  fire.  At  this  time,  he  had  only  two 
men  at  home,  Jerome,  and  another  trader.  About  bed  time,  Jerome  came  into 
his  room,  and  told  him  he  did  not  like  the  conduct  of  the  Indians,  that  they 
did  not  act  right,  that  they  had  laid  down  without  taking  oif  their  moccasins, 
or  other  things,  and  that  he  was  afraid  to  sleep  in  the  room  with  them,  and 
that  they  intended  to  do  some  mischief.  He  told  Jerome  to  bring  in  the  other 
man,  and  their  blankets,  and  sleep  on  the  floor.  The  two  rooms  were  divided 
by  a  chimney,  with  a  short  passage  at  one  side,  from  one  room  to  the  other* 
with  a  door  at  each  end.  Jerome,  and  the  man,  came  in  with  their  blankets 
and  guns,  and  laid  down  on  the  floor,  with  their  guns  beside  them.  Soon 
after,  one  of  the  Indians  came  in,  and  said  he  wished  to  sleep  on  the  floor  as 
the  other  room  was  rather  crowded.     He  secured  permission  to  do  so.     As 


156  DAVENPORT 


soon  as  the  men  had  laid  down,  Mr.  Davenport  examined  every  thing,  to  see 
that  the  guns  were  all  in  their  proper  places,  as  he  generally  kept  a  number 
always  loaded,  standing  against  the  wall  ready,  in  case  of  an  attack.  He  then- 
put  a  sack  of  sweet  corn  against  the  door,  (locks  were  scarce  in  those  days,) 
and  retired  to  bed,  but  not  to  sleep.  About  the  middle  of  the  night,  Jerome 
turned  over,  and,  in  doing  so,  rattled  his  powder  horn.  This  alarmed  the 
Indian,  who  sprang  to  his  feet,  and,  giving  a  yell,  rushed  into  the  other  room. 
By  this  time,  Mr.  Davenport,  and  his  men,  were  up,  with  their  guns  in  their 
hands,  and  when  the  Indians,  in  the  other  room,  came  rushing  through  the 
narrow  passage,  leveled  their  guns  at  them,  and  told  them  to  move  back,  or 
they  would  fire  on  them.  The  Indians  saw  that  they  were  prepared  to  fire,  so 
they  retreated,  and  shut  the  door  at  their  end  of  the  passage,  and  placed  every 
thing  they  could  find  against  it,  to  barricade  it.  Mr.  Davenport  did  the  same 
at  the  other  end,  and,  with  his  men,  stood  on  guard  until  sun-rise,  expecting 
every  moment  some  kind  of  attack  would  be  made  on  them,  but  during  the 
whole  time  they  could  not  htar  the  least  noise.  As  soon  as  it  was  light,  they 
began  to  reconnoiter,  but  could  not  see  any  thing  of  the  Indians — they  had 
gone. 

Some  time  afterwards,  Mr.  Davenport  learned  that  the  party  had  started  out 
with  the  intention  of  killing  the  whole  family,  and  plundering  the  store. 
Their  plan,  at  first,  was  to  get  Mr.  Davenport  into  the  store,  where  they  in- 
tended to  tomahawk  him,  and  then  kill  the  rest  without  firing  a  |^n,  for  fear 
of  alarming  the  Fort.  Their  next  move  was  to  place  the  Indian  in  the  room  to 
sleep,  so  that  he  could  get  up,  when  all  was  asleep,  and  tomahawk  as  many 
as  he  could,  and  at  the  same  time  to  give  a  yell,  as  a  signal  that  they  should 
come  to  his  assistance.  But  a  "guilty  conscience"  frightened  him,  when  the 
Frenchman  moved.  He  thought  he  was  going  to  take  the  start  of  him.  Fail- 
ing in  this  attempt,  they  still  kept  prowling  about  the  neighborhood,  watching 
for  any  straggler  who  might  venture  out  alone.  They  at  last  succeeded.  Two 
soldiers  got  permission  to  go  into  the  woods  to  cut  a  stick  for-axe  helves. 
They  were  cautioned  not  to  go  far  from  the  Fort,  but  at  sun-down,  when  the 
roll  was  called,  it  was  found  they  were  missing,  and  fearing  they  might  be  lost 
in  the  woods,  one  of  the  cannon  was  fired  oif,  so  they  might  know  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Fort.  Next  morning,  Lieut.  Stubbs,  and  a  party  of  soldiers  came 
up  to  Mr.  Davenport's  house,  and  informed  him  that  the  two  men  were  missing. 
He  stated  that  he  heard,  the  day  before,  about  noon,  the  report  of  two  guns, 
and  had  no  doubt  they  were  killed.  He  then  got  all  of  his  men,  and  with  the 
soldiers,  formed  a  line,  and  struck  across  the  Island  in  the  direction  of  the 
sound  of  the  gun,  and  when  they  had  reached  the  middle  of  the  Island,  they 
found  their  bodies.     Both  had  been  shot  and  scalped ! 

In  1822,  Mr.  Davenport  established  a  trading  post  at  Fever  River,  in  charge 
of  "  Amos  Farrar."  This  was  a  very  good  point,  at  this  time,  for  trade  with 
the  Indians,  for  furs  and  lead.  He  also  had  trading  houses  at  Flint  Hills, 
mouth  of    the  Iowa   River,  Waupsipinica,   and  Makquoketa  Pavers,  besides 


\   /HS£:n..<Lyy)^^. 


three  on  Rock  River.  To  attend  to  them  all,  and  have  them  properly  sup- 
plied, kept  him  constantly  traveling  from  one  post  to  another,  sometimes  on 
foot,  sometimes  in  a  canoe,  and  sometimes  on  horseback.  His  principal  depot 
■was  on  Rock  Island.  Here  all  the  furs  and  skins  had  to  be  collected  together, 
and  here  the  out-fits  of  goods  vrere  made  up,  and  sent  off  into  the  different 
parts  of  the  country. 

In  1823,  the  first  steamboat  arrived — the  "  Virginia."  She  was  loaded  with 
provisions  for  Prairie  du  Chien,  and  was  from  Wheeling.  Mr.  Davenport  was 
called  upon  to  Pilot  her  over  the  Rapids.  He  took  his  old  "Patroon  Debuts" 
with  him.  They  were  three  or  four  days  getting  over.  At  this  time  quite  a 
number  of  persons  went  up  to  Fever  River  to  work  the  mines.  Col.  Wm, 
Johnson,  of  Kentucky,  had  obtained  permission  of  the  government  to  work  the 
mines,  and  passed  up  the  river  with  several  keel  boats  loaded  with  provisions 
and  tools.      In  a  short  time  quite  a  village  was  formed  at  Fever  River. 

Two  magistrates  were  appointed  about  this  time  by  Gov.  Cass,  of  Michigan 
Territory.  The  following  letter,  written  at  the  request  of  some  of  the  inhab- 
itants, will  show  the  state  of  feeling  at  the  idea  of  being  in  that  Territory: 

"Rock  Island,  January;  1825. 

Sir :  About  a  year  ago  two  magistrates'  commissions  were  forwarded  by 
Gov.  Cass,  of  Michigan,  to  two  respectable  inhabitants  of  Fever  River.  They 
were  recommended  by  a  gentleman  from  Michigan,  then  concerned  in  a  com- 
mercial way  at  that  place,  on  the  presumption  that  it  belonged  to  Michigan, 
and  one  of  the  gentlemen  so  appointed  acted  by  virtue  of  his  commission. 
The  people  were  dissatisfied  at  the  idea  of  being  attached  to  a  Territory  so  re- 
mote, and  with  whom,  in  a  whole  age,  they  could  have  no  social  intercourse. 
Last  Spring  they  had  the  pleasure  of  finding  that  the  settlements  on  Fever 
River  rightfully  belonged  to  Illinois — upon  which,  the  magistrate  acting  under 
the  authority  of  Michigan,  declined,  and  since  sent  on  a  formal  resignation. 
Of  course,  they  are  at  present  in  an  awkward  situation,  in  the  absence  of  civil 
authority,  and  it  is  the  cordial  wish  of  the  permanent  population  of  that 
place,  that  no  time  may  be  lost  in  appointing  the  persons  (recommended  by 
them  some  time  since  as  magistrates,)  namely,  Moses  Meeker,  and  John 
Connelly. 

Most  Respectfully,  Sir,  Yours, 

G.  DAVENPORT. 

D.  D.  Smith,  Esq.,  Atlas,  Pike  county,  Illinois. 

N.  B.  Have  the  goodness  to  send  me  a  prompt  reply,  (by  the  Military  ex- 
press, who  pass  through  your  town,)  stating,  circumstantially,  all  the  forms 
necessary  to  the  completion  of  the  business,  as  I  am  much  concerned  in  the 
ultimate  welfare  of  the  upper  country,  and  you  will  much  oblige. 

I  am  informed  that  lately  the  Sheriff  of  Prairie  du  Chien  (Crawford  county, 
Michigan  Territory,)  visited  the  mines  people,  and  exacted  poll  tax  from  them, 
some  of  whom  were  simple  enough  to  pay,  others  manfully  refused,  and  it 
gave  umbrage  to  all.  G.  D." 


158  DAVENPORT 


The  mails  were  carried,  at  this  time,  by  express,  from  the  Fort;  the  nearest 
Post  Office  was  at  Clarksville,  Missouri.  In  the  Spring  of  1825,  Mr.  Daven- 
port received  the  following  letter  : 

"  General  Post  Office,      ") 
Washinffton  Cily,  23d  April,  1825.  / 

Sir:  From  the  information  I  have  received,  I  conclude  it  will  be  agreeable 
to  you  to  accept  of  the  office  of  Post  Master,  at  I'vock  Island,  Missouri.  I 
herewith  send  you  a  copy  of  the  law  for  regulating  the  Post  Office,  a  key  for 
opening  the  mail,  and  forms,  and  directions  conformable  therewith.  You  will 
find  these  at  the  Clarksville  Post  Office,  Missouri.  After  executing  the  bond, 
and  taking  the  oath,  you  may  proceed  in  the  duties  of  the  ofiice  without  wait- 
ing for  a  commission. 

I  am,  sir,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  McLEAN. 
To  Ml*.  George  Davenport." 

In  the  Fall,  Mr.  Davenport  received  his  commission,  but  it  was  two  or  three 
years  before  he  took  the  oath  of  office,  as  their  were  no  officer  to  administer  it. 
In  the  Fall  of  1826,  Mr.  Bostwick,  Pr.  agent  of  the  "  American  Fur  Com- 
pany," arrived  at  Rock  Island,  and  made  an  arrangement  with  him  to  become 
a  member  of  that  Company,  purchased  all  his  goods,  trading  posts,  &c.  Gave 
him  the  management  of  the  trade  from  the  mouth  of  the  Iowa  River  up  to 
Turkey  River.  Mr.  Russel  Farnam  having  charge  of  the  trade  below,  and 
his  main  depot  at  "  Fort  Edwards."  Mr.  Rollette  had  charge  of  the  trade 
above — his  principal  depot  at  "  Prairie  du  Chien." 

A  few  extracts  from  his  daily  record  may  give  some  idea  of  the  "  times :" 
1826.     Oct.  21.     Thos  Forsyth,  Indian  Agent,  and  Dr.  Craig,  left  here  on 
Capt.  Culver's  keel  boat  for  St.  Louis. 

Oct.  30.     Mr.  Rollette's  keel  boat  passed  down.     Mr.  Ingraham  on  board. 
"     SI.     Mr.  Lamalease  left  here  for  Rock  River  to  build  trading  house. 
"       "      Lieut.  Clarke  arrived  with  keel  boat   loaded  with  corn  for  St. 
Peters. 

Oct.  31.     Brought  mail.     Sent   mail  by  Lieut.  Clarke  for  Prairie  du  Chien. 
Nov.  1.     Great  fire  across  the  river — all  our  hay  stacks  burnt. 
"       "     Russel  Farnam  arrived  in  keel  boat  Oregon. 

"      "      Mr.  Burk,  a  Virginian,  arrived,  who  had  been  lost  sixteen  days  on 
Rock  River. 

Nov.  4.     Mr.  Farnam  left  for  St.  Louis. 

"     "      Mr.  Burk  left  for  the  mines — furnished  him  with  a  horse. 
Nov.  5.     Mr.  Man's  keel  boat  passed  down  from  lead  mines. 

"     "      John  K.  Forsyth  arrived  from  trading  house  on  Rock  River. 
Nov.  6.     Casnor,  and  my  men,  arrived  with  a  canoe  load  of   "coal"  from 
Rock  Pi,iver. 

Nov.  6.  Keel  boat  "  Oliver  Perry"  came  in  sight ;  put  to,  on  account  of 
the  wind;  arrived  on  the  7th. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  159 


Nov.  8.  "  Oliver  Perry"  passed  up  at  9  o'clock  A.  M. ;  two  bark  canoes  ar- 
rived from  the  mines;  laid  by  on  account  of  the  wind  :  Capt.  Lowe  on  board. 

Nov.  9.     Keel  boat  Missouri  arrived  at  ten  o'clock,  and  departed  at  three. 

Nov.  13.     Boat  arrived  from  Rock  River. 

Nov.  15.     Winnebago  Chief,  Carimonue,  arrived  from  Waupsipinica. 

Nov.  20.  Keel  boat  Missouri,  Capt.  Otis  Reynolds,  from  the  mines,  loaded 
with  lead,  for  Davenport  &  Co.  Martin  Smith,  and  two  men,  arrived,  to  es- 
tablish a  wood-yard  at  the  mouth  of  Rock  Piiver. 

In  the  Spring  1827,  Mr.  Davenport  started  on  a  visit  to  hia  native  place  in 
England,  after  an  absence  of  twenty-three  years.  He  remained  here  about  a 
year — visited  London,  and  all  the  principal  cities.  He  returned  in  May,  1828, 
to  Rock  Island.  During  this  year,  the  first  settlements  were  made  in  this 
vicinity.  Two  families  (Judge  Pence  and  his  son,)  arrived  on  the  9th  day  of 
December,  at  Black  Hawk's  village,  and  moved  into  the  Indian  houses.  One 
of  them  occupied  Black  Hawk's  Lodge.  Several  more  families  came  directly 
after,  among  whom  were  John  Spencer,  Jonah  Case,  Wm.  Brasher,  Kinah 
Wells,  Joshua  Vandruff,  Arc  by  Allen,  Geo.  Harland,  Thos.  Hubbard,  and  Jno. 
Danforth.  On  the  27th  December,  Mr.  Davenport's  daily  record  says  :  "  Geo. 
Wells  came  down  for  provisions,  he  having  settled  on  the  Rapids.  He  makes 
the  tenth  settler  in  our  neighborhood,  and  one  preacher,  Rev.  John  Kinney, 
who  preached  the  first  time  on  the  Island  29th  January,  1829."  During  the 
first  year  the  settlers  suffered  very  great  hardships,  and  Mr.  Davenport  fur- 
nished many  of  them  provisions  and  groceries,  until  they  got  their  farms  under 
cultivation,  and  raised  a  crop. 

In  the  Spring  of  1829,  the  Indians  returned  to  their  village,  and  found  the 
whites  occupying  their  houses  and  corn-fields.  Mr.  Davenport  used  all  his  in- 
fluence with  the  Indians  to  induce  them  to  remove  to  the  West  side  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  partly  succeeded.  Waupello  removed  his  village  to  Musca- 
tine Slough,  and  Keokuk,  with  part  of  the  Sacs,  removed  to  Iowa  river ; 
but  Black  Hawk,  and  the  remainder  of  the  Sacs,  refused  to  go,  claiming  that 
they  never  had  sold  their  lands. 

In  Mr.  Davenport's  record  we  find,  August  5th  :  Steamboat  Josephine,  with 
two  keel  boats,  arrived  ;  purchased  one  thousand  bushels  of  corn  to  pay  the 
Fox  Chiefs  for  their  improvements.  August  14.  The  Fox  Chiefs  refused  to 
receive  the  corn,  for  fear  of  being  blamed  by  the  Sacs  for  selling  their  village. 

The  Indian  Agent,  and  the  commanding  officer,  used  every  argument  to  get 
Black  Hawk  to  move  West  of  the  Mississippi,  but  without  eflfect.  In  1830,  Mr. 
Davenport  visited  Washington  City  to  see  the  President,  (Gen.  Jackson,)  and 
Secretary  of  War,  and  recommended  that  the  Government  pay  the  Indians  a 
few  thousand  dollars,  (which  they  could  well  afford  to  do,)  and  that  from  his 
knowledge  of  their  character,  and  customs,  he  felt  satisfied  that  they  would 
remove  without  any  further  trouble  to  the  Government.  This  plan  was  not 
approved  of  by  the  President,  who  declared  that  they  should  move  off. 

In  the  Spring   of  1831,  the  Indians  again  returned   to   their  village,  and 


^ 


shortly  afterwards,  Gen.  Gaines,  with  four  or  five  companies  of  Infantry,  ar- 
rived. Gov.  Reynolds  also  received  a  requisition  for  a  number  of  companies 
of  mounted  volunteers,  which  were  soon  raised,  and  were  on  their  way  to 
Rock  River,  under  command  of  Gen.  Joseph  Duncan.  Shortly  after,  Gen. 
Gaines  arrived.  He  notified  Black  Hawk  to  meet  him  in  Council  at  the 
Agency,  (which  was  half  a  mile  from  the  Fort.)  On  the  day  appointed  Black 
Hawk,  and  a  large  number  of  Warriors,  arrived  on  the  South  side  of  the 
Island,  and  marched  across  to  the  Council  Chamber.  They  were  dressed  in 
the  full  war  costume,  and  most  of  them  armed  with  bows  and  arrows,  and 
war  clubs,  and  what  seemed  singular,  it  was  noticed  that  their  bows  were  all 
bent,  and  ready  for  use. 

Directly  afterwards  Gen.  Gaines  arrived  with  his  Staff  Officers  and  an  Or- 
derly, but  had  no  guard.  They  entered  the  Council  Room  and  ai ranged  them- 
selves at  one  end,  while  Black  Hawk  and  his  party  occupied  the  other  three 
sides  and  the  center.  Mr.  Davenport  noticed  that  they  acted  in  very  bold  and 
defiant  manner,  and  that  the  friendly  Indians  appeared  to  be  much  alarmed. 
He  went  to  one  of  the  ofiicers  and  advised  him  to  send  tTie  Orderly  as  quickly 
as  i^ossible  to  the  Fort  and  have  a  strong  guard  sent  up,  which  was  done  at 
once.  The  Council  commenced  by  Gen.  Gaines  addressing  them,  and  stating 
why  he  had  come,  and  that  they  must  move  off  or  he  would  be  compelled  to 
use  force.  He  made  the  enquiry,  "who  this  Black  Hawk  was,  that  was  giving 
the  Government  so  much  trouble?"  This  offended  Black  Hawk  very  much, 
and  the  Indians  became  very  excited.  They  began  to  call  across  the  room  to 
one  another,  and  seemed  to  try  to  increase  the  excitement  of  those  on  the  outer 
side,  by  their  yells  and  whooping;  but  fortunately  the  guard  now  came  up, 
which  fact,  Mr.  Davenport  thought,  was  all  that  saved  them  from  being 
attacked  and  massacred. 

The  first  Black  Hawk  war  now  commenced,  but  was  of  short  duration. 
When  the  large  number  of  volunteers  arrived  in  sight  of  the  village,  Black 
Hawk  thought  they  were  too  strong  to  fight,  and  accordingly  he  moved  to 
the  west  side  of  the  river  during  the  night.  In  the  Spring  of  1832  Black  Hawk 
returned  with  his  party,  more  hostile  than  ever.  The  inhabitants  all  flocked 
into  the  Fort  with  their  families,  for  protection.  Mr.  Davenport  fortified  his 
house,  built  a  stockade  around  it  with  baslions  at  two  corners,  in  order  to  use 
a  small  swivel  for  protecting  the  sides,  and  had  his  men  all  well  armed,  and 
their  places  pointed  out  in  case  of  an  attack.  He  had  been  informed  that  the 
Black  Hawk  party  had  determined  in  council,  that  he  and  two  others  (Gen. 
Clark  and  the  Indian  Agent,)  should  be  killed,  as  they  had  done  so  much  to 
weaken  their  party.  "  Neapope  "  was  appointed  to  carry  out  this  threat ;  but 
Black  Hawk  having  passed  on  up  Rock  River  and  the  troop  following  him,  the 
people  here  were  not  molested. 

During  the  Black  Hawk  war  Mr.  Davenport  received  a  commission  from 
Gov.  Reynolds,  appointing  him  acting  Quarter  Master  General,  with  the  rank 
of  Colonel.     In  the  latter  part  of  the  Summer  of  1832  the  Cholera  broke  out 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  161 


among  the  troops  on  the  Island,  and  raged  fearfully  for  about  ten  days ;  one 
hundred  died  out  of  a  population  of  four  hundreJ;  every  person  was  dread- 
fully alarmed.  An  incident  occured  during  this  time  which  will  show  the 
state  of  feeling.  Mr.  Davenport,  Mr.  LeClaire,  and  a  young  Officer  were 
standing  together  in  front  of  the  store  oue  niorning.  The  Officer  had  been 
giving  them  an  account  of  the  number  of  deaths  and  new  cases,  when  an 
Orderly  came  up  to  them  with  a  message  from  Gen.  Scott  to  Mr.  LeClaire, 
requesting  him  to  come  down  to  the  Fort  as  soon  as  possible.  Mr.  LeClau'e 
looked  at  Mr.  Davenport  to  know  what  excuse  to  make.  Mr.  Davenport,  after 
a  moment,  replied  to  the  Orderly  to  tell  Gen.  Scott  that  Mr.  LeClaire  could  not 
come,  as  he  was  quite  sick.  The  Officer  and  Orderly  laughed  heartily  at  Mr. 
Davenport  and  Mr.  LeClaire  being  so  much  alarmed;  but  nest  morning  the 
first  news  they  received  from  the  Fort,  was,  that  these  two  men  were  dead. 

At  the  time  the  cholera  broke  out  at  Fort  Armstrong,  there  was  two  Fox 
Chiefs  confined  in  the  guard-house  for  killing  the  Menomouies  at  Prairie  du 
Chien,  and  had  been  given  up  by  their  nation  as  the  leaders,  on  the  demand 
of  our  Government,  and  were  awaiting  their  trial.  Mr.  Davenport  interceded 
for  them  with  the  Commanding  officer,  to  let  them  out  of  their  prison,  and 
give  them  the  range  of  the  Island,  with  a  promise  that  they  should  be  forth- 
coming when  they  were  wanted.  The  lodiaos  were  released,  and  they  pledged 
their  word  not  to  leave  the  Island  uutU  perm'tled  to  do  so  by  the  proper  au- 
thorities. Dui'ing  all  the  time  the  feavi'al  e[)idemic  raged  upon  the  Island,  and 
every  person  was  fleeing  from  it,  that  could  get  away,  these  two  Chiefs  remained 
on  the  Island,  hunting  and  fishing,  and  when  the  sickness  had  subsided,  they 
presented  themselves  at  the  Fort  to  await  their  trial,  thus  showing  how  bind- 
ing a  pledge  of  this  kind  was  with  this  tribe  of  Indians.  Mr.  Davenport,  for 
many  years,  was  in  the  haljit  of  crediting  the  Chiefs  of  the  difi"erent  villages 
for  from  fifty  to  sixty  thousand  dollars  worih  of  goods  annually,  having  nothing 
but  their  word  pledged  for  the  payment  of  them,  which  they  always  faithfully 
performed. 

In  1833,  Mr.  Davenport  built  his  late  residence,  and  moved  out  of  his  "  Old 
Cabin."  In  1834,  Rock  Island  county  was  organized,  and  John  Spencer,  John 
Vannatte  and  Mr.  Davenport,  were  elected  the  first  County  Commissioners  of 
that  county.  The  county  seat  was  located,  and  the  town  of  Stephenson  laid 
out,  (now  the  city  of  Rock  Island,)  and  the  lots  sold  at  public  sale.  Thej 
established  roads,  and  built  bridges,  in  various  parts  of  the  county.  They 
were  re-elected  several  times,  and  their  administration  of  the  affairs  of  the 
county  gave  very  general  satisfoctiou  to  the  people. 

In  the  Fall  of  1835,  Mr.  D.iveutioi  t,  Maj.  Smith,  Maj.  Gordon,  Mr.  Rambaugh, 
Mr.  McGregor,  Mr.  CoUon,and  Capt.  May,  purchased  a  claim  of  Mr.  LeClaire 
(he  retaining  an  eighth  part,)  upon  which  to  lay  out  a  town.  The  proprietors 
agreed  to  name  it  Davenport,  in  honor  of  their  friend,  Mr.  Davenport.  The 
town  was  surveyed  and  laid  out  by  Major  Gordon,  assisted  by  Mr.  Bennett, 

21 


162  DAVENPORT 


who  were,  at  this  time,  engaged  by   Government  to   survey  Mr.  LeClaire's 
"  Reserves." 

In  the  Spring  of  1836,  Mr.  Davenport  sold  the  site  upon  which  the  famous 
"  Rock  Island  City"  was  laid  out,  (near  the  mouth  of  Rock  River,)  retaining  a 
quarter  interest.  In  the  Fall  of  that  year,  he,  and  some  others,  purchased  an 
interest  in  Mr.  LeClaire's  Reserve  at  the  head  of  the  Rapids,  upon  which  they 
laid  out  a  town,  which  they  named  LeClaire,  in  honor  of  Mr.  LeClaire;  and 
about  the  same  time  he  purchased  an  interest  in  the  town  of  Port  Byron,  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  River,  thus  becoming  interested  in  the  rise  and  pro- 
gress of  all  the  towns  in  this  vicinity. 

In  the  Fall  of  1837,  Mr.  Davenport  accompanied  Keokuk,  Wapello, 
Poweshiek,  Black  Hawk,  and  about  forty  of  the  principal  Chiefs  and  Braves  of 
the  Sac  and  Fox  nation,  to  Washington  City,  and  assisted  Government,  by  his 
influence  with  the  Indians,  in  making  a  very  good  purchase  of  a  large  portion 
of  Iowa. 

About  this  time,  Mr.  Davenport  purchased  an  interest  in  Mr.  LeClaire's  Re- 
serve, adjoining  the  town,  upon  which  they  laid  out  the  first  addition  to  the 
town  of  Davenport,  of  about  twelve  blocks,  and  the  following  season  another 
addition  was  laid  out  by  Mr.  LeClaire,  of  which  Mr.  Davenport  purchased  one 
third  interest. 

In  the  Spring  of  1838,  Mr.  Davenport  and  Mr.  LeClaire  bought  a  large  stock 
of  goods,  and  opened  a  store,  under  the  firm  of  Davenport  &  LeClaire,  on  the 
corner  of  Front  and  Main  streets  ,•  this  was  considered  the.largest  store  in  the 
country  for  some  time.  Persons  came  a  great  distance  to  purchase  their 
goods  and  provisions. 

Mr.  Davenport  still  continued  the  Indian  trade  at  bis-  store  on  Rock  Island. 
The  Indians  came  in  from  the  Iowa,  DesMoines,  and  Cedar  Rivers,  about  every 
three  months,  for  their  supplies. 

In  1838,  Mr.  Davenport  received  the  following  letter  from  one  of  the  Pro- 
prietors of  Davenport,  who  was  sutler  to  the  troops  in  Florida,  which  may  be 
interesting  to  some  of  the  readers  of  this  work : 

Tampa  Bay,  September  3,  1858. 

Dear  Sir :  I  have  no  doubt  you  have  long  since  concluded  that  a  certain 
person,  P.  G.  Hambaugh,  is  "  Co-ga-co  ;"  I  did  anticipate  the  pleasure  of  re- 
turning to  your  place  ere  this,  but  have  been  disappointed.  I  have  no  doubt 
but  you  know  as  much  about  the  Florida  war  as  I  do  ;  there  will  be  another 
winter  campaign,  but  whether  on  a  large  or  small  scale  I  am  not  able  to  say. 
Some  gentleman  in  Havana  has  proposed  furnishing  "  blood  hounds"  for  the 
purpose  of  hunting  down  the  Indians  in  the  Ilammocks,  and  his  plan  is  looked 
upon  by  a  majority  of  experienced  officers  as  the  most  feasible  one  yet  sug- 
gested. The  Government  will,  I  presume,  condemn  this  mode  of  warfare,  how- 
ever, as  being  too  inhuman  to  be  practiced  by  a  civilized  nation,  and  it  is  too 
expensive  to  be  undertaken  by  any  individual. 

I  am  told  Davenport  goes  ahead.     I  wish  to  God  I  was  there,  with  a  few 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  163 


thousand  dollars.  What  is  the  prospect  of  securing  the  town  to  the  proprie- 
tors by  pre-emption  ?  I  hope  you  and  Mr.  LeClaire  will  use  every  exertion  to 
do  so,  and  also  to  protect  my  interest  while  I  am  absent.  I  make  this  request 
because  I  shall  undoubtedly  (if  I  live,)  return  there,  and  make  it  my  permanent 
residence;  nothing  keeps  me  in  this  infernal  country  but  the  prospect  of 
making  enough  to  place  me  in  easy  circumstances  when  I  return,  and  another 
winter's  campaign  will  do  it,  unless  I  meet  with  some  unforseen  misfortune. 
Write  to  me,  and  give  me  all  the  local  news ;  tell  me  if  Davenport  is  the 
"  County  Seat,"  and  if  it  is  to  be  the  "Capital  of  Iowa;"  tell  me  who  the 
prominent  men  about  Davenport  are.  What  has  become  of  Gordon  ? 
Remember  me  to  all  my  friends,  and  particularly  to  "  Mosquakee." 

Your  friend, 

P.  G.  HAMBAUGH." 
In  the  fall  of  1841,  the  Indian  payments  were  made  at  the  Agency  on  Des 
Moines  River.  The  Indians  from  all  the  different  villages  gathered  there  to 
receive  their  annuities.  Mr.  Davenport,  and  most  of  the  Indian  traders,  at- 
tended there,  during  the  payment.  Gov.  Lucas,  Superintendent  of  Indian 
Affairs  in  Iowa,  made  an  attempt  to  make  a  treaty  with  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  to 
purchase  all  their  lands  within  the  State,  but  utterly  failed.  He  had  deter- 
mined he  would  make  a  treaty  with  the  Indians  without  the  assistance  of  the 
Traders,  and  that  they  should  have  nothing  to  do  with  it.  He  was  partic- 
ularly opposed  to  the  American  Fur  Company,  (then  Pr.  Chouteauju  &  Co.) 
He  ordered  them  to  retire  to  their  trading  house,  about  a  mile  from  the 
Agency,  and  posted  a  guard  of  dragoons  at  the  house,  to  prevent  any  commu- 
nication with  the  Indians.  Among  those  that  were  placed  under  guard  with 
Mr.  Davenport,  was  Mr.  LeClaire,  as  he  was  considered  friendly  with  the  Fur 
Company  and  the  Indians.  When  he  had  assembled  the  Chiefs  and  Braves  of 
the  two  tribes,  he  made  them  his  proposition — to  buy  their  country.  The 
Chiefs  replied,  that  they  always  consulted  their  old  friends,  whom  they  had 
known  for  many  years,  and  had  the  greatest  confidence  in,  and  that  they  had 
understood  their  old  Traders  had  been  placed  under  guard,  and  not  allowed  to 
have  any  communication  with  them,  they,  therefore,  declined  making  any 
treaty  with  him. 

In  1842,  Gov.  Chambers  made  a  treaty  with  the  Sacs  and  Foxes.  He  took 
a  different  plan.  He  told  the  Chiefs  to  select  any  of  their  white  friends  they 
might  choose,  to  assist  them  in  making  a  treaty.  They  selected  Mr.  Daven- 
port, Mr.  LeClaire,  Mr.  Sanford,  and  Mr.  Phelps.  By  this  treaty  the  Indians 
sold  all  of  their  lands  within  the  State  of  Iowa,  and  agreed  to  remove  West  of 
the  Missouri  River. 

After  this  treaty,  Mr.  Davenport  withdrew  from  the  Fur  Company,  and  gave 
up  the  Indian  trade,  being  engaged  in  this  business  about  twenty-three  years, 
during  which  time  he  had  made  twenty  ti-ips  to  St.  Louis  with  his  keel 
boat.  The  shortest  time  in  coming  from  St.  Louis  to  Rock  Island  was  eleven 
days,  having  a  fair  wind  most  of  the  time.    The  longest  trip  was  forty  days. 


164  DAVENPORT 


Mr.  Davenport  now  devoted  hia  time  to  the  improvement  of  his  property  in 
Davenport  and  Rock  Island.  About  this  time  he  laid  out  an  addiiion  to  the 
flourishing  town  of  Moline. 

Mr.  Davenport  was  of  a  very  free  and  generous  disposition,  very  jovial,  and 
Tery  fond  of  company.  He  now,  generally,  spent  the  Wiaters  in  St.  Louis  or 
WashingtouCity.  If  he  traveled  on  a  steamboat,  or  while  at  his  hotel,  he  would 
always  have  a  crowd  around  him,  listening  to  his  anecdotes  and  stories.  He 
never  sued  any  one  in  his  life,  and  could  not  bear  to  see  any  one  in  distress 
without  trying  to  relieve  them.  He  enjoyed  excellent  health  and  spirits,  and 
had  the  jirospect  of  living  roany  years  to  enjoy  the  comforts  for  which  be  had 
toiled  so  bard  for  many  years,  but  he  was  struck  down  by  the  hand  of  one  of 
a  band  of  robbers,  in  his  own  home,  on  the  fourth  of  July,  1S45.  He  died 
aged  sisty-two  years. 

The  following  lines  were  written  by  Dr.  E.  Keskup,  who  was  present: 


Hark !     Wliat  that  sound  that  makes  the  angler 

Cast  his  rod  aside.    Hark !  again  ;  that  cry, 

'Tis  murder ! — tlie  dreadful  words  are 

Eehoe.!  back  th(S  woodland  duongli,  while 

Consternation  wild  is  graven  deeply  in  the  lines  of  every  face; 

Tiie  heart,  first  clseck'd,  now  leaps  witli  tumultuous  throe,  and  the  warm  blood, 

'A'hat  was  woni  to  rviu  its  circuit  mUdly  through,  clogs  the  swollen  vein. 

"i'was  a  sad  seme.     Upon  his  dying  bed,  abused,  despoil'd,  lay  one 

■VVUoui  wp  (so  long  had  he  sojourned  on  that  fair  isle,)  had  look'd  upon  as  portion 

or  the  apoi ; 
Jlis  long  lah'  haix  dishoverd  by  tlio  brutal  hand. 

Ills  Ufa  was  ebbing  fast,  as  flow'd  the  gushing  heart's  blood  from  his  wound, 
How  chaug'd  t)i<5  scene,  that  in  the  morn 

Was  joy  and  gla*.lut«s ;  pity  and  dii8i>air  or  schemes  of  dark  revenge, 
"Were  trac'd  upon  each  varying  face, 

And  ciieu  with  heavy  lieart  the  throng  wound  slow  their  homeward  way. 
Tlie  voice  of  love  was  still,  aud  all  was  mute 
And  sad,  and  silcut,  as  the  gi-aTO. 

In  concluding  the  life  of  Col.  Davenport,  it  may  be  well  to  add  a  few  lines 
regarding  bis  life  apart  from  the  mere  incidents  in  which  he  was  involved. 

His  life,  as  has  been  seen,  was  a  long  and  active  one — the  position  he  oc- 
cupied required  anything  but  a  human  drone  to  fill  it — and  his  whole  career, 
from  beginning  to  close,  was  replete  with  ceaseless  activity.  Although  of 
trans-atlantic  extraction,  he  was  the  true  type  of  the  American — possessing 
indomitable  resolution,  a  restless  desire  to  progress,  with  an  invincible  deter- 
mination to  overcome  obstacles,  and  achieve  success.  Added  to  these  qual- 
ities, was  an  eminent  ability  to  read  human  nature,  to  resolve  its  problems, 
and  array  the  prejudices,  motives,  hostilities,  or  what  not,  of  all  about  him,  in 
a  manner  that  finally  best  aided  his  own  undertakings.  Especially  was  this 
last  circumstance  prominent  in  all  his  dealings  with  the  Red  Man.  He  read 
them  as  liien,  approached  them  as  such,  and  by  this  humane  and  judicious  pro- 
cedure, received  in  almost  all  cases  from  them  such  treatment  as  men  extend 


PAST  AND  PKESENT.  165 


to  each  other.  He  was  worthy  of  all  honor  for  the  love  borne  him  by  the 
savage — it  is  an  evidence  that,  like  the  philanthropic  and  immortal  Pejjn,  he 
rose  above  the  vulgar  and  inhuman  prejudices  of  the  age,  and  found  in  the 
Indian,  if  not  a  brother,  at  least  a  conscientious  being,  who  could  be  driven 
to  deeds  of  revenge  and  carnage  by  ill-treatment,  or  could  be  made  a  firm, 
reliable,  honorable  friend,  by  treating  him  as  a  man. 

Much  as  Mr.  Davenport's  courage,  perseverance,  enterprise,  and  ability,  de- 
mand admiration,  there  is  still  something  more  than  these  commanding  our 
respect  and  honor — something  which  is  more  lustrous  than  wealth,  better 
than  position  or  title — it  was  his  Humanity  !  Had  men  of  his  bias  dealt  with 
Black  Hawk,  and  his  "  British  Band,"  less  gory  scalp  locks  would  have 
decked  the  belts  of  warring  savages — less  blood  have  been  shed,  and  the  entire 
fearful  drama  of  devastation,  slaughter,  and  carnage,  which  was  enacted 
upon  our  frontiers  a  few  years  since,  would  have  been  wholly  omitted. 

Honor  to  his  ashes  — he  sleeps  in  a  grave  whose  proud  epitaph  reads — 

HERB  LIBS  A  FRIEND  TO  HUMANITY  ! 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  167 


CHAPTER   XIV. 


ANTOINE  LeCLAIRE. 


Antoine  LeClaiue  was  born  December  15,  1797,  at  St.  Joseph,  Michigan. 
His  father  was  a  Canadian  Frenchman,  his  mother  the  grand  daughter  of  a 
Pottowottomie  Chief.  At  this  time  ^the  territory  of  the  North-west,  out  of 
which  half  a  dozen  mighty  States  have  been  formed,  was  peopled  almost  solely 
by  the  red  man,  with  here  and  there  one  of  a  different  race,  fearless  enough  to 
brave  the  perils  of  a  frontier  life,  among  the  dusky  denizens  of  the  wilderness  • 
the  father  of  Antoine  Le  Claire  was  one  of  these. 

In  1808,  he  established  a  trading  post  at  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  exchanging 
manufactured  articles  for  various  kinds  of  furs.  In  1809,  he  engaged  more  ex- 
tensively in  the  business,  in  connection  .with  John  Kinsey,  at  Chicago,  (Fort 
Dearborn  then,)  Illinois.  In  1812,  though  surrounded  with  the  Indian  tribes 
with  whom  he  was  trading,  and  who,  through  the  influence  of  British  emis- 
saries, were  generally  hostile  to  the  United  States,  Mr.  LeClaire  espoused  the 
American  cause,  engaged  actively  in  the  service — was  in  the  contest  at  Peoria, 
where,  with  others,  he  was  taken  prisoner.  The  prisoners  were  confined  at 
Alton,  Illinois,  but  were  released  during  the  same  year. 

About  this  period,  at  the  solicitation  of  Gov.  Clarke,  of  Missouri,  Antoine 
LeClaire  entered  the  Government  service,  and  was  placed  at  school,  that  he 
might  acquire  a  proper  knowledge  of  the  English  language.  In  1818,  he 
acted  as  interpreter  under  Capt.  Davenport,  at  Fort  Armstrong;  and  the  same 
year  returned  to  Peoria,  where,  in  1820,  he  married  the  daughter  of  the 
Sac  Chief,  Acoqua,  (the  Kettle.)  The  same  year  he  was  sent  to  Arkansas,  to 
watch  the  movements  of  the  Indians  in  that  locality.  He  was  returned  to 
Fort  Armstrong  in  182Y,  and  was  present  as  interpreter  in  1832,  when  the 
treaty  was  made  by  which  the  United  States  purchased  of  the  Sac  and  Fox 
tribes  the  territory  West  of  the  Mississippi  River. 

In  consequence  of  cholera  among  the  soldiers  at  Fort  Armstrong,  the  treaty, 
which  would  otherwise  have  been  held  in  the  Fort,  was  transferred  to  the 


168  DAVENPORT 


Iowa  sliore  opposite.  Here  the  great  Chief  of  the  Sacs,  Keoliuk,  made  a  re- 
serve of  a  section  of  land,  which  he  douated  to  Mr.  LeGlaire'.*  wife,  requiring, 
as  an  only  condition,  that  Mr.  LeChiire  should  build  his  house  on  the  section, 
and  on  the  s[)0t  then  occupied  by  tlie  marquee  oi'Gen.  Si-ott  in  making  the 
treaty;  wliich  condition  he  afterwards  fdled  io  the  letter.  The  Sacs  and  Foxes 
also  gave  him  another  section  at  the  head  of  the  Rapids,  where  LeClaire  now 
stands.  The  Pottowottowies,  in  the  treaty  of  Prairie  du  Chien,  reserved  two 
sections  on  the  Illinois  side,  which  tliej"  [iresented  to  Mr.  LeClaire.  The 
flourishing  town  of  iMoliue  is  situated  on   this  .leserve. 

The  treaty  was  ratified  by  Congress  the  following  Winter.  In  the  Spring  of 
1833,  Mr.  LeClaire  erected  a  small  building,  or  "  shanty,"  in  the  then  Fox 
village,  "  Morgan,"  which  had  occupied  this  ground  for  years  previous.  Of 
the  tribe  having  this  as  their  head-quarters,  Maquojjom  was  the  head  warrior^ 
and  Poiveshiek  head  chief.  In  the  fall  of  1834,  the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians  left 
here  for  the  Cedar  River. 

In  ]8o3,  Mr.  LeClaire  was  appointed  Post  Masler  at  Davenport,  and  also 
Justice  of  tlie  Peace,  to  settle  all  matters  of  diuerence  between  the  whiles  and 
Indians.  His  jurisdiction  extended  over  all  the  territory  purchased  of  the 
Sacs  and  Foxes  West  of  ihe  Mississippi,  from  Dubuque,  on  the  North,  to  Rur- 
lington  on  the  South.  Tbe  [lopulalion  of  Rurliiigton  was,  at  this  time,  about 
two  hundred,  that  of  Dubuque  about  two  hiindved  and  fifty. 

Mr.  LeClaire  is  an  accomplished  Linguist — speaking  some  twelve  or  four- 
teen Indian  dialects,  as  well  as  French  and  English,  and  was  present  as  Inter- 
preter, among  other  treaties,  at  that  with  the  Great  and  Little  Osages  at  St. 
Louis,  1825,  with  the  Kansas  at  St.  Louis,  1823,  with  the  Chippewas  at  Prairie 
du  Chien  in  1829,  with  the  Winnebagoes  at  the  same  place,  in  August,  same 
year;  at  the  same  place  in  182G,  with  Sacs  and  Foxes,  same  place  with  Win- 
nebagoes in  1832,  at  Fort  Armstrong,  held  on  Iowa  side,  with  Sacs  and  Foxes 
at  Davenport,  vvitli  Sfics  and  Foxes  in  ISSfi,  at  V.'ashinglon,  with  same  tribes 
in  IBS'?,  with  same  tribes  at  Sac  arid  Fox  Agency  in  Iowa  Territory  in  1842. 

Mr.  LeClaire  was  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  town  of  Davenport,  and  is 
still  one  of  its  MCiive  business  men.  He  is  possessed  of  great  wealth  ;  has  im- 
proved the  ciiy  by  a  liiieral  exjieiidiiure  of  a  large  income,  in  erectingChurches, 
and  otiier  pub'^c  tiu'ldi-jg-,  ;^t  iils  iioniciliaie  expense.  The  line  Church  of 
St.  Murt^aret — v.'Iiose  spii'e  reaches  '"roiu  the  loiiy  bluff  till  it  would  almost 
seem  to  louch  the  qiret  Stars,  or  to  ruinj^le  with  the  cloudy  glories  of  a  Sum- 
mer's day was    Iiu'Il  and    i'l'mished    by    Uio    mnnincence   of  Mr.    LeClaire. 

Every  wiiere  over  ilie  fair  ciiy  of  Davenpoii  are  scali.ered  iniprovements,  each 
of  which  elegantly  and  appropriately  memorializes  his  generosity. 

His  progress  from  the  smaD  white  house,  on  the  depot  f;rounds,  to  the 
palatial  bric!;  mansion  on  llie  idufrs— his  pliysicnl  increase  from  the  &raall 
frame  of  iliirty  years  ago.  to  ihe  portly  embodimenL  of  Mr.  LeClaire  of  to-day, 
present  a  fine  lypC;  i)olli  of  liis  increase  in  weaitii.  and  the  growlli  of  the  dtj', 
which  he  mainly  founded.      It  is  to  be  regretted  that  a  liistory  of  his  life,  em- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  169 


bracing  its  lesser  details,  could  not  have  been  obtained — as  his  whole  course 
has  been  replete  with  stirring  incident,  and  romantic  adventure.  His  name, 
however,  will  not  soon  be  forgotten — it  is  inscribed  in  the  national  archives, 
is  perpetuated  in  a  thousand  forms — in  spire  and  altar,  in  wall  and  street — in 
the  city  of  his  adoption,  while  still  more  enduringly  than  all  these  memorials 
of  parchment,  wood-work,  and  masonry,  it  is  written  upon  the  hearts  of  all 
who  know  him,  the  fact  that  he  is  a — Philanthropist  and  Chris riAU. 

Correction. — Mrs.  LeClaire  was  the  grand-daughter  of  Acoqua.  Her  father 
was  Antoine  LePage,  a  Canadian.  (The  above  was  not  received  in  time  to  be 
put  in  its  proper  place.) 


22 


^ 


^ 


)  '/< ^ 


I 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  171 


CHAPTEK    XV 


GEO.  L,  DAVENPOET,  ESQ, 


George  L.  Davenport  •was  born  on  Rock  Island,  in  the  Fall  of  181t,  and  is 
the  eldest  son  of  Col.  Geo.  Davenport,  and  was  the  first  white  child  born  in 
this  section  of  the  country.  For  eight  or  nine  years  he  had  few  playmates, 
but  the  Indian  boys ;  he,  therefore,  learned  to  talk  their  language  about  as 
soon  as  he  did  the  English.  In  1827,  he  was  sent  to  Cincinnati,  and  went  to 
school  one  year,  and  then  returned  to  the  Island,  and  was  placed  in  the  store 
of  the  American  Fur  Company,  where  he  remained  until  this  trading  post  was 
given  up,  upon  the  removal  of  the  Indians,  in  1837,  to  the  DesMoines  River. 
He  was,  at  any  early  age,  adopted  into  the  Fox  tribe,  and  was  called  after  the 
nation,  "  Mosquake,"  and  was  always  a  great  favorite  with  them.  He  made, 
frequently,  trips  into  the  Indian  country,  with  goods  for  the  different  trading 
posts,  and  attended  all  the  Indian  payments  on  the  DesMoines  River.  In  1832, 
he  made  the  first  "  claim"  West  of  the  Mississippi,  and  in  the  Fall  of  1837,  he 
accompanied  the  Sac  and  Fox  delegation  of  Chiefs  to  Washington  City,  and 
also  visited  other  large  cities.  On  his  return,  he  lived  upon  his  claim,  in  order 
to  secure  a  pre-emption.  In  1838,  he  was  in  the  store  of  Davenport  &  LeClaire. 
In  1839  he  married,  and  commenced  business  for  himself,  and  continued 
to  attend  to  business  very  closely  for  sixteen  years.  In  1850,  he,  in  connec- 
tion with  Mr.  LeClaire,  built  the  first  Foundry  and  Machine  shops  in  this  city. 
They  built  the  first  steam  engine,  and  made  the  first  castings  in  this  city.  He 
continued  in  this  business  five  years,  when  he  sold  out,  and  retired  from 
business. 

Mr.  Davenport  has  done  much  toward  the  improvement  of  the  city has 

built  a  fine  block,  is  liberal  in  his  encouragement  of  enterprise,  and  in  difTusing 
judiciously  his  ample  fortune.  To  him,  as  well  as  Mr.  LeClaire,  are  confided 
the  reminiscences  of  pioneer  life  in  this  country,  and  but  few  lovers  of  the 
deeds  and  things  connected  with  the  past,  have  ever  visited  this  country  with- 


172  DAVENPORT 


out  being  indebted  to  him  for  many  courtesies,  and  valuable  information. 
He  is  still  in  the  prime  of  life,  "straight  as  an  arrow,"  and  has  before  him 
many  years  of  usefulness  and  enjoyment. 


IV 


W?^ 


fe 

'7'. 


/ 


€,^€:^^^^/.s 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  173 


CHAPTEK    XVI, 


JAMES  MACKmTOSH,  ESQ. 


The  subject  of  this  memoir  is  a  native  of  Dundee,  Scotland.  His  name 
("Son  of  the  First,")  denotes  his  origin  from  one  of  the  oldest,  and  one  of  the 
most  powerful  Highland  Clans,  whose  blood  has  been  shed  for  Scotland  in 
every  battle  field,  from  the  invasion  of  the  Romans  to  the  battle  of  Culloden. 
Almost  destroyed  in  their  eiforts  for  the  restoration  of  the  Stuarts,  in  1715 
they  composed  a  large  portion  of  the  invading  army  in  England,  and  were  the 
last  to  abandon  the  cause — fighting  the  last  battle. 

In  1745,  the  Slogan  again  sounded,  and  one  thousand  warriors  raised  their 
banner  for  Stuart;  they  conquerei  in  every  field,  until  a  difference  of  opinion 
amongst  the  leaders  l.ed  to  a  retreat  from  England,  and  the  defeat  of  Cullodeu 
followed,  but  had  all  fought  with  the  devoted  bravery  of  Clan  Chalten,  and  had 
their  allies  proved  true,  Cumberland  could  not  have  laid  waste  their  country 
for  fifty  miles  around,  sparing  neither  age  nor  sex. 

John  Mackintosh,  the  Grandfather  of  Mr.  Mackintosh,  being  in  possession  of 
a  portion  of  the  family  estates,  of  course  was  in  arms,  and  was  severely 
wounded  at  Culloden.  He  escaped  that  night  from  a  field  where  no  quarter 
was  given,  from  the  horrors  that  followed— the  burning  of  cottages,and  slaughter 
helpless  women  and  children.  All  was  lost  but  honor,  his  estates  being 
attainted  as  a  follower  of  Stuart,  the  balance  of  his  days  were  spent  in  obscu- 
rity and  poverty. 

The  subject  of  this  memoir  remembers  him  well,  and  has  often  heard  him 
describe  the  war  of  "  45,"  and  the  charge  of  the  Mackintosh  division  at  Cul- 
loden, when  Cumberland's  ranks  went  down  before  them,  from  the  centre  of 
the  line  of  battle,  where  they  fought.     They  were  victors— but  not  being  sup- 


ported  by  their  left  wing,  defeat  was  the  consequence.     Five  hundred  of  these 
warriors  fell,  as  described  by  Campbell,  in  Lochiel's  Warning  : 

"  Shall  Victor  oxult,  or  in  death  be  laid  low 

With  his  back  to  the  field,  atd  his  face  to  the  foe, 

Leaving  in  baUle,  no  blot  oa  his  name, 

Look  proudly  to  Heaven,  from  the  death  bed  of  fame." 

In  the  language  of  Ex-Governor  Mackintosh,  of  Georgia,  the  legal  feudal 
head  of  the  race — "  we  are  iveak  and  broken  now,  we  are  not  what  ive  once  have 
been."  The  old  veteran  bore  the  mark  of  a  sabre  cut  on  his  face,  received  in 
boarding  an  English  vessel  in  the  war  of  1812,  when  a  Lieutenant  in  the 
American  Navy.  The  tear  was  in  his  eye  as  he  spoke;  before  his  vision 
passed  the  heroic  deeds  of  his  Ancestors,  the  war  of  1715,  when  his  great 
grandfather  commanded,  his  death  in  exile,  his  grandfather,  with  the  remains 
of  his  men,  emigrating  to  Georgia,  his  brave  defence  of  the  Georgian  frontiers 
against  Spain,  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolution,  when  his  father,  (General 
Laughlin  Mackintosh,)  and  uncle,  equipped  a  body  of  troops,  and  took  the 
field  for  the  Colonies  ;  and  well  did  they  pay  their  oppressors  for  the  wrongs 
they  had  done  them.  He  thought  of  his  brother,  who  fell  leading  the  charge 
at  Molina  de  la  Rey,  of  the  mountains  and  valleys  of  the  Highlands.  He 
heard  the  Slogan  of  Clan  Chattan,  when  thousands  of  warriors  would  answer 
the  call,  and  well  might  the  old  veteran  exclaim,  "  we  are  not  what  we  once 
have  been,"  but  the  glory  and  fame  of  the  Sons  of  the  First  will  live  forever. 

When  about  eight  years  of  age,  the  subject  of  this  memoir  lost  his  grand- 
father, the  soldier  of  CuUoden,  and  soon  after,  his  mother,  which,  in  some 
measure,  broke  up  the  family.  It  was  then  decided  to  emigrate  to  America, 
and  his  father,  a  carpenter,  by  unremitting  industry  for  a  number  of  years, 
accumulated  enough  for  that  purpose.  His  son  James  doing  his  part  during 
this  period,  laboring  in  a  flax  factory  from  twelve  to  fifteen  hours  per  day  for 
five  years,  to  attain  the  desired  object.  They  arrived  in  Montreal  in  Septem- 
ber, 1817.  In  the  Spring  following,  Mr.  Mackintosh  selected  the  trade  of  a 
book-seller  and  book-binder,  which  was  the  first  opportunity  he  had  of  ac- 
quiring an  education.  He  had  labored  from  early  boyhood,  having  little  time 
for  study,  in  order  to  come  to  the  United  States,  which  had  always  been  his 
great  object.  He  traveled  some  years  in  the  middle  and  Southern  States. 
Came  West  in  1828,  and  carried  on  a  book-bindery  in  Cincinnati  in  1830,  'SI, 
but  finding  it  unprofitable,  sold  out — went  to  Indianapolis,  and  bound  the 
Code  of  Indiana  for  1831.  Romantic  and  adventurous,  he  then  attached  him- 
self to  the  Oregon  Expedition,  then  organizing  in  Boston,  and,  with  Hall  J. 
Kelly,  and  Captain  Brown,  formerly  of  the  Greek  service,  endeavored  to  raise 
a  company  in  Cincinnati  to  settle  on  the  Columbia  River.  At  one  time  there 
were  nearly  two  thousand  men  ready  to  sail  for  Oregon,  but  it  was  thought 
necessary  to  introduce  a  bill  in  Congress  for  some  encouragement  and  protec- 
tion.    This  led  to  an  inquiry  as  to  what  position  the  United  States  occupied 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  175 


with  Great  Britain  regarding  Oregon,  which  proved  that  neither  power,  by 
their  treaty,  could  colonize,  or  take  possession,  without  each  giving  to  the  other 
one  year's  notice.  This  was  discouraging  to  the  Expedition.  A  portion  of  it, 
however,  went  from  Boston,  taking  the  land  route  by  St.  Louis,  under  Captain 
Wythe,  but  were  unfortunate,  having  some  fighting  on  the  route,  but  a  portion 
got  through ;  many,  however,  turned  back.  The  same  Spring,  Mr.  Mackintosh 
went  to  New  Orleans,  intending  to  go  round  Cape  Horn,  but  finding  no  oppor- 
tunity, returned  to  Louisville,  Kentucky.  Still  exerting  himself  in  the  cause — 
having  no  other  means  of  support,  but  what  he  earned  at  his  trade  ;  and  there 
was  not  then,  as  there  is  now,  such  a  desire  to  emigrate  West. 

In  the  Spring  of  1833,  H.  J.  Kelly  came  West,  the  remains  of  the  original 
Expedition  having  sailed  from  New  York,  and  again  the  enterprise  bid  fair  to 
succeed  ;  Mr.  Mackintosh  went  to  New  Orleans.  The  Company  had  passports 
from  Gen,  Jackson,  President  of  the  U.  S.,  and  letters  to  Santa  Anna,  President  of 
Mexico,  requesting  that  power  to  give  such  friendly  aid  as  either  nation,  by 
their  treaty,  would  accord  to  the  other,  in  passing  through  that  territory. 
The  route  was  by  Vera  Cruz,  and  the  City  of  Mexico,  to  Accapulco,  where 
vessels  were  to  convey  them  to  Oregon.  So  far,  all  had  gone  well,  but  a 
scheme  had  been  laid  by  a  portion  of  the  men  to  seize  the  Indian  goods 
belonging  to  the  Company,  and  go  to  Texas,  which  they  attempted  to  carry 
out.  This  led  to  their  arrest,  and  confinement  in  the  calaboose.  Vexatious 
law  suits  followed,  which  totally  broke  up  the  Expedition.  H.  J.  Kelly  went 
alone  through  Mexico  to  Oregon.  Mr.  Mackintosh  having  spent  his  last  dol- 
lar in  the  cause,  was,  for  the  second  time,  left  in  the  midst  of  cholera  and  yel- 
low fever.  He  next  worked  for  means  to  move  West,  to  St.  Louis,  to  join  the 
hunters,  and  in  that  way  yet  meet  Kelly  in  Oregon,  but  it  was  too  late.  The 
last  party  had  gone.  Then,  with  two  of  the  Company  that  remained  with  him, 
he  crossed,  on  foot,  the  States  of  Illinois  and  Indiana,  to  the  Ohio  River.  After 
being  some  months  in  Cincinnati,  and  anxious  to  raise  means  to  reach  Oregon, 
he  went  to  Nashville,  where  he  was  profitably  employed  for  several  years. 
When  he  was  traveling  through  Illinois  and  Indiana  in  1833,  he  saw  some  of 
the  volunteers  from  the  Black  Hawk  War,  and  began  to  turn  his  attention  to 
that  region,  determining  to  locate  on  the  frontiers  somewhere.  He  left  Nash- 
ville in  the  Fall  of  '35,  and  after  spending  some  months  in  St.  Louis,  started 
on  horseback  to  examine  the  country.  At  that  day,  and  at  that  time  of  the 
year,  this  was  a  trip  of  some  interest.  He  traveled  iu  company  with  two  others 
as  far  as  Warsaw,  Illinois.  There  was  nothing  on  the  journey  of  particular 
interest;  but  at  this  point  the  journey  had  to  be  prosecuted  alone.  The 
promised  land  was  in  sight,  but  it  seemed  like  parting  with  civilization.  He 
crossed  the  Mississippi  in  the  night  to  Keokuk,  carrying  his  saddle  and  port- 
manteau on  his  back,  and  leaving  his  horse  on  an  Island,  which  was  brought 
over  by  some  Canadians  in  the  course  of  the  night.  On  entering  the  only 
building  there,  a  curious  sight  presented  itself.  A  ball  was  going  on,  of  an  as- 
semblage of  half  breeds,  French  traders,  Indians,  Americans,  &c.     There  was 


176  DAVENPORT 


not  much  chance  to  rest  here,  besides  running  considerable  risk  of  losing  what 
he  had.  Having,  when  coining  through  Illinois,  met  with  Lieutenant  Lee,  of 
Fort  Armstrong,  who  had  been  with  the  party  surveying  the  boundary  line  of 
the  Territory,  he  received  a  description  of  the  route  to  Rock  Island,  and  let- 
ters of  introduction  to  the  officers  of  Fort  DesMoines  and  Fort  Armstrong. 
Our  traveler,  after  spending  the  night  with  this  motley  party,  proceeded  to 
Fort  DesMoines,  now  Montrose,  then  occupied  by  several  companies  of 
Dragoons,  and  presented  his  letters  ;  was  introduced  to  a  son  of  Black  Hawk, 
and  his  sister.  The  young  Chief  had  lately  received  a  fine  sword  from  the 
officers,  and  was  very  proud  of  it.  Both  he  and  his  sister  were  good  looking^ 
and  dressed  in  good  taste.  He  then  proceeded  with  Col.  Knapp  to  Fort  Mad- 
ison, and  some  time  after  dark,  stopped  a  short  time  with  Black  Hawk's  band 
of  Indians,  who  were  preparing  to  make  sugar,  and  reached  Fort  Madison 
about  midnight.  The  only  house  there  was  the  Colonel's,  the  proprietor  of 
the  town.  On  coming  to  Skunk  River,  it  was  thought  impossible  to  cross,  but 
our  traveler  was  persevering,  and  so  he  attempted  it.  He  crossed  on  foot,  the 
ice  cracking  under  his  feet,  with  his  saddle  and  saddle  bags  on  his  back.  His 
horse  followed,  breaking  the  ice  before  him  ;  and  he  arrived  at  Burlington  that 
evening.  Here  a  town  was  commenced,  and  there  were  eight  or  ten  houses. 
Next  morning,  he  had  to  swim  Flint  Hill  Creek,  through  the  floating  ice,  as 
there  were  no  ferries  or  bridges.  He  stopped  that  night  near  the  Iowa  River, 
and  spent  some  time  next  morning  in  Black  Hawk's  village,  where  Wapello  now 
is.  He  visited  the  old  Chief's  tent;  the  Indians  were  out  on  a  hunt.  He 
crossed  the  Iowa  River  at  some  risk — stopped  that  night  at  Thornton,  but  found 
no  food  for  man  or  beast,  and  left  at  day-break  next  morning  for  the  trading 
house,  now  Muscatine.  Some  miles  below,  a  family  were  encamped,  and 
they  having  plenty  of  corn,  the  traveler's  horse  was  fed,  and  the  saddle-bags 
filled  in  case  of  need.  The  family  were  faring  sumptuously  on  honey,  from  a 
bee  tree  they  had  cut.  An  invitation  was  given,  and  gladly  accepted.  That 
was  an  intei-esting  group,  sitting  around  the  stump  of  that  tree,  with  chips 
for  plates,  and  nothing  but  honey  for  breakfast.  The  next  station  was  the 
trading  house,  and  our  traveler,  who  intended  reaching  Pine  Creek  that  night, 
unfortunately  took  the  wrong  trail,  and  found  himself  on  Cedar  River,  near 
Poweshiek  village.  The  weather  turned  suddenly  cold,  and  being  wet,  having 
waded  a  creek  full  of  floating  ice,  the  only  hope  left  was  to  get  to  the  village. 
But  that  proved  impossible.  The  river  was  open,  and  being  unacquainted 
with  the  ford,  to  attempt  it  would  have  been  madness,  and  to  go  back  was 
equally  difficult,  as  the  creek  was  to  cross,  the  bottom  wide,  and  the  trail  two 
feet  deep  in  water.  There  was  no  alternative  but  to  camp,  without  fire  or 
food.  Matches  were  not  common  in  those  days — the  fire-works  had  been  lost, 
and  the  grass  was  too  wet  to  strike  fire  with  the  pistol.  He  made  a  bed  of 
leaves  and  grass,  wound  himself  in  his  blanket,  and  lay  down  at  the  foot  of  a 
Btump,  to  which  he  tied  his  horse,  who  fared  the  best,  as  his  supper  was  in 
the  saddle  bags.     That  was  a  night  to  "  try  men's  souls" — the  howling  of  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  177 


storm,  and  the  still  louder  howling  of  the  wolves,  made  the  night  terrific. 
Sleep  was  out  of  the  question. 

It  froze  hard  enough  by  morning  to  cross  the  creek,  or  the  river.  He  ar- 
rived at  the  trading  house  by  noon,  nothing  the  worse  of  his  cold  lodging,  with 
a  good  appetite  for  dinner,  having  eaten  nothing  but  the  honey  for  three  days 
and  two  nights.  Resting  there  that  night,  he  proceeded  next  day  to  Pine 
Creek,  where  the  accommodation  was  good  for  that  period,  and  the  next  day 
he  arrived  at  Frank's  Claim,  below  Rockingham,  which  he  purchased.  Start- 
ing next  morning  before  breakfast,  he  came  in  sight  of  Fort  Armstrong.  At 
sunrise,  the  flag  went  up,  the  morning  gun  fired,  and  the  drums  beat ;  the  air 
was  cold  and  bracing,  and  the  beautiful  panoramic  view  that  opened  on  the  trav- 
eler's sight,  was  exciting.  He  had  traveled  in  various  climes,  and  seen  many 
fair  lands,  but  never  had  been  so  enraptured  as  on  that  morning ;  although  in 
mid  winter,  it  never  looked  so  well  as  then.  He  exclaimed — "this  is  the 
place  I  have  looked  for,  here  I  will  set  my  stake  !"  He  partook  of  an  excel- 
lent breakfast  with  Antoine  LeClaire,  who  accompanied  him  over  to  the  Fort 
and  introduced  him  to  Keokuk,  and  other  Indian  Chiefs,  who  all  gave  him  a 
warm  invitation  to  their  village.  But  time  pressed,  and  there  was  still  a  lone- 
some journey  to  perform  to  Michigan,  and  after  spending  a  week  or  two  with 
his  brother,  and  making  arrangements  for  both  to  locate  at  Davenport,  he  re- 
turned to  his  future  home.  Business  calling  him  to  Nashville,  the  favorite 
horse  that  had  so  nobly  carried  him  through  so  many  scenes,  was  sold  to  Mr. 
LeClaire. 

He  returned  in  September,  and  in  October  brought  on  a  general  stock  of 
goods,  amounting  to   some  five   thousand  dollars,  and  done   a   fair   business 
during  the  following  winter.     Provisions  were  scarce,  and  he  made  several 
trips  to  Illinois  to  obtain  a  supply.     On  one  occasion,  it  nearly  cost  him  his 
life.     In  crossing  a  fifteen  mile   prairie,  one  of  those    sudden  changes    took 
place  which  often  occur  in  this  climate,  in  which  several  persons  were  frozen 
to  death  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  and  some  lost  hands  and  feet.     He 
came  through  with  hands  and  face  badly  frozen,  and  was  incapable  of  doing 
much   business    the   balance   of  the  winter.       The  following  year  the   great 
financial  crisis  was  severely  felt  here,  and  but   little  business  could  be  done. 
He  was  actively  engaged  in   every  enterprise  beneficial  to   the  town.     That 
Summer  he   had  the  first  road  surveyed,  and   a  furrow   plowhed  twenty-six 
miles  on  the  road  to  Dubuque,  at  his   own  expense  ;  laying  out  one  night  in 
the  prairie,  in  a  storm  of  thunder  and  rain,  the  horses  got  away,  and  he  was 
obliged  to   pack  the  saddles ;  the  nearest   grove  being  then   unsettled,  was 
called  Saddle  Grove,  now  Long  Grove.     The  county  seat  question  being  the  all 
absorbing  topic  of  the  day  at  this  time,  took  a  large  portion  of  his  time.      He 
w&s  the  most  active  of  the  Davenport  party,  until  that  contest  was  decided  in 
1810. 

The  first  purchase  from  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  was  forty  miles  wide,  from  Rock 

23 


178  DAVENPORT 


Island.  The  second  was  made  in  the  Fall  of  '3*7,  and  was  twenty-six  miles 
•wide,  running  due  West  from  the  forty-mile  post.  In  May,  'S8,  General 
Street  organized  a  party  to  examine  the  new  purchase,  and  select  a  village 
site  and  agency  for  the  Indians,  West  of  the  new  boundary.  The  Sacs  and 
Foxes  were  then  at  war  with  the  Sioux.  The  party  were  composed  of  General 
Street,  Indian  Agent,  George  L.  Davenport,  Mr.  Mackintosh,  Louis  Hebert, 
then  an  employee  of  the  Government,  H.  Sturdevant,  Indian  Blacksmith,  and 
W.  Russel,  Surveyor,  and  from  thirty  to  forty  Chiefs  and  Braves,  commanded 
by  Poweshiek,  mounted  on  good  horses,  with  a  tent,  and  well  armed  with  rifles, 
cutlasses,  and  pistols. 

General  Street  rode  in  his  carriage.  The  Indians  that  accompanied  them 
from  Pavenport  were  dressed  as  whites,  to  deceive  the  Sioux.  The  party 
started  on  a  bee  line  for  the  forty-mile  post — encamped  the  first  night  at  a 
small  grove,  south  of  Posten's  Grove — pitched  the  tent — spanceled  the  horses, 
fared  sumptaously  on  venison,  and  retired  for  the  night ;  but  their  sleep  was 
short.  About  midnight  a  storm  of  thunder  and  lightning  disturbed  their 
slumbers.  The  rain  descended  in  torrents,  the  creek  overflowed  its  banks 
and  the  sleepers  were  roused  from  their  watery  bed.  The  wind  had  blown 
the  tent  from  its  fastenings,  and  was,  for  some  time,  held  by  Mackintosh  and 
Davenport,  lying  on  their  backs  in  the  water.  The  balance  of  that  dark  stormy 
night  was  spent  exposed  to  the  storm,  with  their  blankets  around  them,  until 
day  dawned.  After  breakfost,  they  renewed  their  march,  trusting  to  the  sun 
to  dry  their  clothes.     All  the  streams  were  up,  which  they  had  to  swim. 

Genera]  Street's  carriage  was  an  incumbrance,  but  on  one  occasion  helped 
him  over  the  stream.  It  got  fastened  on  the  steep  bank  of  the  channel,  the 
tongue  resting  on  the  opposite  side,  but  the  current  was  so  rapid  it  could  not 
stay  there  long.  To  enable  the  General  to  cross  without  falling  in,  Mr.  Mack- 
intosh and  Hebert  took,  the  water  shoulder  deep,  each  a  carriage  wheel, 
to.  hold  against  the  cnrrent,  and  steady  the  steps  of  the  timid  General.  Hebert, 
fond  of  a  joke,  several  times  whispered  to  his  colleague  to  let  go  the  wheel, 
that  he  might  have  the  fun  of  seeing  the  General  iounder  in  the  stream  ;  but 
he  got  safely  over.  However,  Hebert  had  his  laugh  to  his  heart's  content 
before  night.  There  were  more  streams  to  swim  that  day,  and  it  had  to  be 
done  Indian  fashion.  It  required  considerable  tact  to  get  the  provisions  and 
arms  over  dry,  and  they  frequently  tied  their  clothes  on  their  horses  necks  for 
that  purpose.  On  several  occasions,  some  of  the  party  swimming  on  horse- 
back, and  the  banks  being  steep,  went  over  the  horses  beads,  and  had  to  swim 
down  the  rapid  current  before  they  could  get  out.  On  one  occasion,  after 
getting  over  the  provisions,  it  was  discovered  that  a  bag  of  sugar  was  forgot- 
ten. All  had  crossed  but  Mr.  Mackintosh,  when  Hebert  proposed  that  he 
would  wade  into  the  deep  water,  and  Mr.  Mackintosh  do  the  same,  then  pitch 
the  bag  to  Hebert.  In  doing  this,  it  did  not  occur,  that  in  making  the  neces- 
sary effort,  a  reaction  would  follow.  Hebert  caught  the  sugar,  but  Mackintosh 
went  into  ten  feet  of  water,  head  foremost.     The  current  was  rapid,  the  banks 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  179 


steep,  and  he  had  to  swim  some  sixty  rods  before  he  got  out.     The  yell  of  the 
Indians,    and  laugh   of   the   whites,    were   general.      They  encamped  that 
night  at  Rock  Creek,  and  next  day  discovered   the  forty  mile  post.      They 
reached  Cedar  River,  where  the  General's  carriage  was  left ;  the  horses  swam 
the  river,  and  the  men  got  over  in  a   canoe.     Then  the  Indians  appeared  in 
their  war  costume,  as  the  white  man's  territory  was  behind — the  Rubicon  was 
crossed,  and  the  language  of  "Rob  Roy"  came  to   mind — "  Dinna  mister  or 
Campbell  me,  my  foot  is  on  my  native  heath,  and  my  name  is  McGregor!" 
So  felt  the  Indians  after  crossing  their  boundary.     The  surveys  commenced. 
One  of  the  chain  carriers  getting  lame,  it  was  necessary  to  get  an  Indian  to 
take  his  place.      The  party  were  then  entering  the  big  woods.     The  Indians 
fearing  an  ambush,  insisted  on  an  advance  guard,  before   consenting  that  one 
of  their  men  should  carry  the  chain.      Messrs.  Mackintosh  and  Davenport  vol- 
unteered to  fill  the  post,  and  the  company  went  on  in  military  order.     They 
camped  that  night  in  heavy  timber,  the  Indians  carefully  selecting  the  ground 
— a  creek  in  a  bend,  of  horse-shoe  shape,  high  rocky  banks  on  one  side,  and 
level  ground,  covered  with  logs  and  heavy  standing  timber,  on  the  other.    That 
night  the  Indians  were  unusually  gloomy,  and  seemed  to  fear  a  surprise,  and 
after  supper,  "Old  Crow"  told  Mr.  Davenport  that  he  believed  the  Sioux  were 
on  their  trail,  that  the  fire  must  be  put  out,  the  tent  struck,  and  they  must  lay 
on  their  arms  all  night.     The  fire  was  put  out,  but  as  four  of  the  whites  were 
asleep,  it  was  thought  best  not  to  disturb  them.      Messrs.  Mackintosh  and 
Davenport  stood  guard  till  day-break.     That  night  was  one  of  interest ;  it  was 
still,  clear,  and  starry.     The  Indians  were  scattered  behind  logs,  but  could  no* 
be  seen  or  heard.    The  two  sentinels  kept  watch  by  the  tent,  going,  occasionally, 
into  the  heavy  timber,  and  attentively  listening  to  discover  an  attempt  at  sur- 
prise, frequently  being  disturbed  by  the  scream  of  some  animal,  that  seemed 
more  like  an  imitation  than  .the  natural  sound. 

Near  day-break,  the  guard  being  fatigued,  lay  down  at  the  opening  of  the 
tent,  not  intending  to  sleep,  but  were  getting  into  a  doze,  when  the  yell  of  the 
Indians,  and  the  firing  of  their  rifles,  aroused  them.  They  thought  that  the 
Sioux  were  upon  them  ;  they  were  soon  up,  and  ready  for  the  combat,  but  lo, 
they  were  their  friends.  The  night  being  past,  the  danger  was  over,  and 
they  commenced  shouting  their  war  song  of  victory. 

The  tents  were  struck,  and  the  survey  continued.  At  night,  the  Indians 
carefully  selected  the  camp  in  the  slough  of  the  Iowa  River,  but  their  alarm 
still  continued,  and  they  feared  the  Sioux  would  attack  their  village.  The 
General  called  a  council  of  war,  and  through  Mr.  Davenport,  as  Interpreter, 
told  them  that  the  risks  he  had  run,  the  exposure  of  his  person,  the  undignified 
appearance  he  had  often  presented,  when  crossing  the  streams,  leaving  his 
comfortable  quarters  at  Rock  Island,  were  all  for  their  benefit.  But  they  were 
still  gloomy,  aud  fearful  of  the  massacre  of  their  women  and  children,  and 
only  four  of  them  volunteered  to  remain.     In  the  night,  while  fatigue  over- 


180 


DAVENPORT 


powered  the  whites  with  sleep,  they  made  canoes  from  the  bark  of  the  linn  tree, 
and  crossed  the  Iowa,  and  not  a  vestige  of  them  remained  at  day-break,  save 
the  four  volunteers. 

A  village  site  was  selected  that  day,  which  was  occupied  by  them  until  the 
next  treaty,  but  not  being  satisfactory  to  the  General,  they  turned  their  course 
northward,  with  the  intention  of  going  to  Cedar  Rapids,  where  a  town  of  some 
importance  has  since  sprung  up.  Through  the  course  of  the  day,  the  re- 
luctance of  the  Indians  to  proceed,  proved  they  could  not  long  be  relied  upon. 
Towards  evening,  they  came  in  sight  of  a  grove,  and  imagining  they  saw  the 
smoke  of  a  Sioux  camp,  refused  to  proceed.  Mr.  Mackintosh  rode  on  in 
advance  of  the  party,  and  found  no  cause  for  alarm,  but  there  was  evidence 
of  a  large  party  of  Indians  having  encamped  there  lately.  Buffalo  and  war 
trails  radiated  in  every  direction — Deer  River  was  also  in  sight,  where  a  bat- 
tle had  been  fought  the  year  previous.  They  encamped  there  that  night,  and 
the  next  morning  found  their  volunteer  Indians  had  gone,  and  for  the  first 
time  the  dragoon  spancels  had  got  loose  from  their  horses,  which  occupied  them 
an  hour  or  two  in  finding. 

The  provisions  were  nearly  out,  and  although  some  of  the  party  desired  to 
proceed  a  day  or  two  longer,  General  Street  ordered  a  return  to  the  settlement, 
having  only  partially  effected  the  object  of  the  Expedition.  On  returning  to 
Davenport,  Mr.  Mackintosh  again  took  part  in  the  election  for  county  seat, 
having  to  proceed  to  Dubuque  and  Burlington,  and  again  canvass  the  county. 
In  1840  he  was  one  of  the  Commissioners  appointed  by  act  of  the  Legislature 
to  lay  out  a  road  to  Dubuque.  During  that  year  the  most  important  matters 
that  effected  the  welfare  of  the  county  were  settled — the  county  seat  question, 
the  laying  of  roads,  and  the  public  lands  coming  into  market ;  in  all  of  which 
he  took  an  active  part.  For  years  after  this,  financial  affairs  were  still  in 
a  bad  condition,  he  suffering  like  many  others,  after  getting  his  farm  in  some 
degree  of  improvement.  He  was  for  some  years  Territorial  and  State  Binder 
for  Iowa,  the  first  Public  Binder  for  Minnesota,  and  established  the  first  Book 
Bindery  in  Davenport.  For  the  last  four  or  five  years  his  whole  time  has  been 
occupied  in  developing  his  property. 

He  has  expended  more  money  in  opening  streets  than  all  the  proprietors 
put  together.  He  has  been  over  thirty  years  in  the  north-west  and  south- 
west, twenty-two  years  of  which  has  been  In  Iowa  and  Minnesota.  He  is  now 
fifty-four  years  of  age,  with  robust  health,  and  bids  fair  to  enjoy  his  hard 
arnings  to  a  period  of  life  not  far  behind  some*  of  his  ancestors.  He  is  very 
social — fond  of  a  good  anecdote,  which  he  tells  or  listens  to  with  hearty  good 
humour — is  extremely  liberal,  and  is  one  of  Davenport's  most  valued  citizens. 


I 


i 


"^^^^ 


f 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  181 


CHAPTER    XVII. 


HOJST.  G.  C.  E.  MITCHELL. 


JuDGB  Mitchell  was  bora  December  3, 1803,  at  Dandridge,  Jefiferson  county, 
East  Tennessee.  He  was  educated  at  East  Tennessee  College,  (now  "  E.  Ten- 
nessee University,")  in  Knoxville,  Tennessee,  and  was  a  member  of  its  first 
graduating  class  in  the  Fall  of  1822.  His  parents  having  removed  to  Law- 
rence county,  Alabama,  he  proceeded  thither  after  graduating,  and  commenced 
studying  law  with  Judge  A.  F.  Hopkins,  (now  of  Mobile,)  and  was  admitted  to 
practice  in  1825.  He  practiced  in  Alabama  until  ISSi,  and  spent  a  winter  in 
a  tour  among  Eastern  cities,  and  in  the  Spring  of  1835,  came  AVest,  after  visit- 
ing St.  Louis,  Chicago,  Galena,  and  Dubuque. 

Liking  this  portion  of  the  country,  and  anticipating  the  results  of  its  admi- 
rable location,  he  purchased  a  squatter's  right — the  tract  of  land  upon  which  he 
at  present  resides.  He  erected  a  cabin,  (which  stood  on  Fifth  street,  just  west 
of  DeSoto  street,)  and  resided  in  it  until  183Y,  or  two  years.  At  that  time 
what  now  constitutes  Iowa  was  attached  to  Michigan,  and  until  Wisconsin 
was  formed,  there  was  neither  law  nor  ofiScers  of  any  kind  west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi. For  several  years  the  principal  professional  business  of  lawyers  in  the 
territory  was  limited  to  litigation  in  regard  to  claim  titles,  or  "  Squatter's 
Rights."  Judge  Mitchell  added  to  this  species  of  practice,  somewhat  in  the 
courts  of  Rock  Island  county,  which  were  at  that  time  organized. 

In  1843,  he  was  elected  to  the  House  of  R-epresentatives  of  the  Iowa  Terri- 
torial Legislature.  He  was  nominated  as  Congressional  Representative  from 
the  State,  in  1846,  but  was  defeated. 

He  was  elected  Mayor  of  Davenport  in  1856,  and  in  April,  1857,  was  nom- 
inated by  a  meeting  of  the  Bar,  and  elected  Judge  of  the  Fourteenth  Judicial 
District— composed  of  the  counties  of  Scott,  Clinton,  and  Jackson.  Ho  was 
elected  to  this  office  by  a  handsome  majority,  although  the  Republican  party 
nominated  and  ran  a  party  and  opposition  candidate,  and  had  a  large  majority 


182  DAVENPORT 


upon  almost  every  other  one  of  their  ticket.  He  filled  this  oflBlce  until  the  Fall 
of  1857,  and  then  resigned,  owing  to  ill  health,  and  with  a  design  of  removing 
to  a  warmer  climate. 

Judge  Mitchell  was  always  a  Whig,  until  that  party  dissolved,  or  became 
inducted  with  Free  Soilism,  and  other  of  its  modern  characteristics ;  since 
then  he  has  acted  with  the  Democratic  party  in  full  faith  in  its  nationality. 

As  a  jurist,  Judge  Mitchell  takes  a  high  position — he  is  profoundly  discrim- 
inative— a  keen,  careful  analyst,  and  one  whose  deductions  are  always  reliably 
correct.  His  mental  processes  are  seemingly  slow,  but  in  reality  rapid,  for 
while  others  would  dash  to  a  conclusion  (often  the  wrong  one,)  with  an  im- 
perfect view  of  a  few  contiguous  facts,  he  traverses  the  whole  ground,  omitting 
nothing,  however  seemingly  trivial  or  great;  and  although  he  may  be  twice  as 
long  in  evolving  a  question  as  another,  he  performs  ten  times  the  labor,  and  his 
conclusion  is  in  the  same  proportion  more  worthy  of  credence.  If  he  has  one 
trait  more  prominent  than  another,  it  is  his  thorough  comprehensiveness — his 
ability  to  include  everything  in  his  examination  of  a  subject,  and  add  to  this 
a  nice  instinctive  and  cultivated  perception  of  the  character  and  weight  of  a 
fact,  and  one  may  see  why  he  rarely  goes  wrong,  or  commits  errors  in  conclu- 
sions. 

In  regard  to  his  everyday  life — that  portion  of  a  man's  being  which  all  are 
interested  in  knowing — we  shall  say  much  less  than  the  excellence  of  the  sub- 
ject would  admit.  Wealthy,  with  cultivated  literary  taste,  and  a  choice  and 
ample  library,  he  now  enjoys  life  as  only  one  surrounded  by  such  circumstances 
can.  Fresh,  instructive,  and  engaging  in  his  conversation,  he  takes  a  high 
rank  as  a  social  companion,  and  as  one  who  can  be  instructive,  amusing,  and 
brilliant,  without  effort. 


^/^^-^-^^^^-^^^^^^^ 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  183 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 


WILLAED  BAEROWS,  ESQ. 


WiLLARD  Bareows  was  born  in  Monson,  Massachusetts,  in  1806.  At  the 
age  of  ten  yeras,  his  father  remoTed,  with  his  family,  to  New  Braintree,  where 
the  subject  of  this  notice  spent  most  of  his  youthful  days,  enjoying  the  ben- 
efits of  New  England  Common  Schools,  and,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  was 
placed  at  the  Worcester  Academy.  His  mind,  from  his  boyhood,  seems  to 
have  been  bent  on  travel  and  exploration.  He  loved  to  roam  over  the  rocks 
and  hills  of  his  native  land,  and  often,  at  an  early  age,  accompanied  an  old 
mountain  hunter  in  his  night  rambles  after  "  coons,"  among  the  precipices 
and  glens  for  which  that  county  is  noted.  He  left  the  paternal  roof  at  the  age 
of  fifteen,  and  after  spending  some  time  in  Pomfret  and  Thompson,  in  Con- 
necticut, at  school,  he  passed  two  years  at  Brimfield,  at  his  Uncles,  and,  in 
1827,  located  in  Elizabeth  Town,  New  Jersey.  He  was  for  jpanj  years  a  very  ac- 
ceptable teacher  of  youth  in  that  place,  and  married  there  in  1832.  His  nataral 
love  of  the  "  wild  and  beautiful"  in  nature,  led  him  to  select  as  his  profession, 
for  life,  that  of  a  surveyor  and  engineer.  His  first  introduction  to  his  profes- 
sion was  on  a  contract  with  the  Government  in  1885,  to  close  up  the  public 
surveys  of  the  Choctaw  Indian  Purchase  in  the  cypress  swamps  and  cane- 
brakes,  on  the  Yazoo  and  Sunflower  Rivers,  in  the  State  of  Mississippi. 

This  expedition  was  full  of  danger,  and  interesting  incident. 

In  the  Winter  of  1836  and  "7,  a  sudden  and  unusual  rise  in  the  Mississippi 
cut  him  off  from  any  communication  with  the  world — his  supplies  grew  short) 
and  he  was  driven,  with  his  party,  to  the  severest  hardships,  and  for  many  weeks 
they  were  forced  to  live  upon  short  allowance.  The  whole  country  was  covered 
with  water,  except  the  few  ridges  that  appeared  above  the  flood.  The  country 
was  uninhabited.  The  larger  game,  by  instinct,  had  fled  the  country,  and  for 
several  weeks  he,  and  his  party,  lived  upon  the  fruit  of  the  Persimmon  tree 
and  the  Oppossum.     These  animals  being  slow  of  locomotion,  had  only  time  to 


184  DAVENPORT 


reach  the  higher  ridges  of  land,  and  were  easily  taken,  and  then  eaten,  with- 
out bread  or  salt.     Occasionally  an  owl  or  hawk  was  killed. 

About  the  first  of  March,  the  water  subsided,  and  the  whole  party,  after 
many  hardships  and  privations,  reached  a  settlement  upon  the  banks  of  the 
Mississippi,  nearly  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Arkansas  River,  and  procuring 
canoes,  descended  the  river  to  Vicksburg  and  Natchez.  After  making  his 
report  to  the  Surveyor  General,  at  Jackson,  in  that  State,  he  ascended  the 
Mississippi  to  St.  Louis,  and  hearing  much  of  Wisconsin  Territory,  determined 
to  visit  the  country,  and  then  ascend  the  river  to  Galena,  and  return  to  New 
Jersey  by  way  of  Chicago  and  the  Lakes.  About  the  first  of  May,  1837,  we 
find  him  on  board  the  old  Olive  Branch  Steamer,  bound  for  Galena. 

Here  he  first  became  acquainted  with  Col.  George  Davenport  and  D.  C. 
Eldridge,  citizens  of  this  place.  Much  persuasion  was  used  by  these  gentle- 
men to  induce  Mr.  Barrows  to  stop  at  Davenport,  and  make  it  his  home.  He 
seems  to  have  thought  but  little  about  it,  until  he  found  himself  sailing  along 
the  shores  of  Scott  county.  "  When,"  he  says  in  a  letter  afterwards  to  a  friend, 
in  explanation  of  his  object  in  settling  in  the  far  West, — "the  beauty  of 
the  landscape,  the  richness  of  the  soil,  the  salubrity  of  the  climate,  and,  above 
all,  the  rich  and  rolling  prairies,  which  seemed  to  me  so  easily  cultivated,  were 
inducements  enough  for  me,  or  any  one  else  to  settle."  Mr.  Barrows  landed 
at  Davenport,  and  soon  after,  he,  with  Gen.  Sargent,  and  two  others,  were 
mounted,  and  on  a  trip  of  exploration  to  the  Cedar  River,  then  but  little  known. 

Mr.  Barrows  was  so  favorably  struck  with  the  beauty  and  prospects  of  the 
country,  that  he  determined  at  once  to  remain  for  a  season,  and,  accordingly, 
reported  himself  to  the  Surveyor  General's  office  for  the  North  West,  then 
located  at  Cincinnati,  and  he  was  that  Fall  engaged  upon  the  first  surveys  of 
Iowa.  During  that  Winter  he  was  upon  the  Wapsipinecon  River,  having  left 
here  in  October,  and  did  not  return  until  the  first  of  April,  and  lost  but  three 
days,  during  that  wiqter,  of  actual  labor,  being  in  camp  with  nothing  but  a 
common  canvas  tent.  "  The  succeeding  winter,"  says  Mr.  Barrows,  "  was 
much  the  same  in  its  mildness,  and  resembled  the  present  winter  here,  (ISSt 
and  '8.") 

The  Indians,  at  this  time,  were  his  only  neighbors  and  friends,  always  sup- 
plying his  camp  with  plenty  of  venison,  turkeys,  geese  and  ducks,  and  main- 
taining the  most  friendly  relations. 

In  the  Spring  of  1838,  he  returned  to  New  Jersey,  having  been  absent  from 
his  family  for  nearly  two  years,  and  returned  with  them  in  July  of  that  year, 
and  settled  in  Rockingham,  five  miles  below  Davenport.  The  most  direct  route 
at  that  time,  from  New  York  to  the  far  West,  was  by  way  of  the  Pennsylvania 
canal  to  Pittsburgh,  down  the  Ohio  River,  and  up  the  Mississippi  River  to  St. 
Louis,  and  thence  to  Rock  Island.  The  time  necessary  for  this  trip,  at  that 
day,  was  four  weeks. 

In  1840,  Mr.  Barrows  was  engaged  in  the  survey  of  the  Islands  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, from  the  mouth  of  Rock  River  to  Quincy,  Illinois. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  185 


In  1841  aud  '42  the  public  surveys  being  suspended,  he  turned  his  attention 
to  farming,  and  being  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Post  Master,  and  Notary  Public,  at 
Rockingham,  his  time  was  occupied  in  discharging  these  duties  until  the 
Spring  of  1843,  when  he  was  sent  into  the  country  lying  north  of  the  Wiscon- 
sin River,  called  the  Kickapoo  Country,  to  perform  the  surveys  of  that  rough, 
broken,  uninhabited  land,  where  he  spent  most  of  that  season, 

It  was,  while  engaged  upon  this  work,  that  his  depot  of  provisions  was 
plundered  by  some  straggling  bands  of  the  Winnebago  Indians,  and  himself 
and  party  reduced  almost  to  starvation.  Mr.  Barrows  had  left  the  camp  in 
the  Kickapoo  River  country  for  Prairie  du  Chien  after  provisions.  Upon  his 
return  to  the  Kickapoo,  with  supplies,  he  found  the  whole  country  laid  waste 
by  a  Tornado.  The  country  through  which  he  had  to  pass  to  his  camp,  some 
seventy  miles,  was  heavily  timbered,  and  the  eifects  of  the  storm  were  almost 
utter  destruction  for  miles  in  extent — the  forest  was  torn  up  by  its  roots,  trees 
of  immense  sise  were  twisted  and  hurled  in  every  imaginable  shape,  and  piled 
up  in  unlimited  confusion.  The  occasion  was  one  demanding  prompt,  vigor- 
ous action — and  Mr.  Barrows  found  himself  equal  to  it.  He  first  made  the 
attempt  to  follow  his  old  trail,  and  cut  his  way  through,  with  the  help  only  of 
a  few  Indians,  who  love  anything  better  than  work,  but,  after  two  days  of 
hard  labor,  gave  it  up,  having  made  only  two  and  a  half  miles.  His  next, 
and  only  chance  of  reaching  his  men,  who  were  fastened  in  by  the  tornado, 
and  whom  he  knew  to  be  in  a  starving  condition,  was  to  ascend  the  Kickapoo, 
with  Indians,  in  canoes,  until  he  should  reach  a  point  opposite  his  camp,  and 
beyond  the  tornado,  when  he  could  pack  out  supplies  through  the  wilderness, 
and  reach  his  camp  in  time  to  save  his  men,  if  no  serious  obstacles  opposed. 
The  Indians  took  up  the  provisions,  and  Mr.  Barrows  went  up  by  land,  with 
one  pack-horse  only.  The  provisions  were  landed,  the  Indians  discharged, 
and  Mr.  Barrows  left  alone  upon  the  banks  of  the  stream,  just  as  the  sun  was 
setting.  That  night  he  carried  his  provisions  about  half  a  mile,  into  the  forest, 
and  cached  them  as  well  as  he  could,  and  early  the  next  morning  set  out  with 
a  small  bag  of  flour,  and  a  little  pork,  on  his  pack-horse,  upon  his  unknown 
and  perilous  journey,  to  reach  his  starving  camp,  full  of  intense  anxiety  as  to 
the  fate  of  his  mission,  and  those  whom  he  desired  to  save.  Any  one  who  has 
ever  visited  this  portion  of  Wisconsin,  can  well  imagine  the  difficulties  to  be 
overcome.  It  is  the  country  formerly  owned  by  the  Winnebago  Indians,  and 
purchased  from  them  by  Gov.  Dodge  in  1834 — and  very  correctly  named  the 
"  Sugar  Loaves  of  Wisconsin."  It  is  almost  impassable  for  man  or  beast — 
abounding  in  steep  precipices,  high  and  inaccessible  points  of  rocks,  deep 
ravines,  and  impenetrable  thickets.  It  was  through  this  country  that  the  cel- 
ebrated Chief,  Black  Hawk,  led  his  trusty  followers,  after  his  defeat  at  Dixon, 
on  Rock  River,  and  Buffalo  Grove,  while  on  his  way  to  Bad  Axe,  where  he  was 
captured.  And  it  was  among  these  very  hills  and  dells,  that  Col.  Atchison,  in 
pursuit  of  Black  Hawk,  got  entangled,  and  abandoned  his  wagons,  baggage, 
&c.,  with  the  loss  of  many  of  his  horses.      No  man,  with  pack-horses,  can  cut 

24 


186  DAVENPORT 


his  way  over  five  or  ten  miles  per  day.  Without  any  trail,  or  even  maps  of 
the  country  to  guide  him,  Mr.  Barrows  persevered,  alone,  with  only  his  faith- 
ful horse,  to  accompany  him,  with  indomitable  courage  and  perseverance, 
swimming  the  streams  that  opposed  his  course,  and  resting  only  when 
darkness  compelled  him.  On  the  fourth  day,  to  his  great  joy,  and  surprise 
he  struck  an  old  outward  bound  trail,  made  by  himself  and  men,  in  his  first 
entrance  into  the  country.  It  was  near  dark,  and  his  camp-fire  was  kindled, 
his  solitary  meal  was  eaten,  and  in  blanket,  alone  in  the  dense  wilderness,  he 
slept  again  till  daylight,  when  he  was  upon  the  trail,  familiar  to  him,  that 
led  to  the  camp.  He  had  gone  but  a  few  hundred  yards  among  the  deep  glens, 
when,  on  turning  an  abrupt  bluflF,  he  came  suddenly  upon  one  of  his  men,  who 
informed  him  that  another  of  the  party  was  a  short  distance  behind  in  a 
starving  condition,  and  too  weak  to  proceed ;  that  others  of  the  party  were 
left  at  the  camp,  two  days  previous,  in  dispair  of  receiving  any  help,  as  they 
supposed  him  murdered  by  the  Indians,  and  that  they  had  been  unable  to  kill 
game  of  any  kind,  except  one  small  pheasant ;  that  they  had  eaten  the  two  bear 
dogs,  and  boiled  up  the  bones  with  nettles  for  soup,  and  that  they  had  had 
nothing  for  six  days,  but  such  wild  berries  as  they  could  chance  to  find.  They 
said  they  had  boiled  coffee,  of  which  they  had  plenty,  and  drunk  quite  freely 
at  first,  but  its  effects  upon  them  were  very  unpleasant,  and  at  times  even  dis- 
tressing, and  that  they  had  abandoned  it.  They  were  not  long  in  reaching 
the  companion  of  the  first  man,  to  whom  he  soon  gave,  in  small  portions,  some 
food,  and  hastened  forward  to  the  camp  ;  here  he  found  the  rest  of  his  men,  in 
a  pitiable  condition  of  emaciation,  and  with  looks  of  wildness  and  despair  that 
was  distressing  to  witness.  They  had  settled  down  into  the  belief  that  he  was 
either  dead  or  hopelessly  lost.  They  had  awaited  in  confidence  too  long,  with- 
out an  effort  to  save  themselves,  by  leaving  the  country,  and,  perhaps,  not 
having  confidence  in  themselves  sufficient  to  find  their  way  out  of  the  wilder- 
ness. 

•'  The  camp  presented  a  scene,"  says  Mr.  Barrows,  "  that  I  could  not  look 
upon  without  tears.  Upon  a  log  were  stretched  the  skins  of  our  bear  dogs, 
while  their  bones  were  bleaching  around  the  camp.  Some  harness  had  been 
cut  up,  and  roasted,  to  eat,  and  many  extremes  resorted  to  to  relieve  them 
from  utter  destruction.  The  next  morning  we  commenced  our  slow  march 
back  to  the  depot  of  provisions,  which  I  had  made  upon  the  Kickapoo  River. 
The  scanty  supply  that  I  had  taken  with  me,  was  now  being  exhausted  with 
fearful  rapidity,  and  we  hastened  our  march,  to  reach  the  depot,  that  we 
might  once  more  be  fed  with  plenty.  But  what  was  our  surprise  and  conster- 
nation, when  we  reached  it,  to  find  it  plundered  of  its  precious  contents,  and 
all  carried  away  1  Our  misfortunes  seemed  still  to  hang  over  us,  and  we  felt 
that  our  sufferings  were  not  at  an  end.  Our  only  chance  of  escape  now  was, 
to  ascend  the  Eackapoo  some  twenty  miles  further,  to  a  ford,  the  place  where 
Black  Hawk  crossed  in  his  flight  to  Bad  Axe,  where  his  last  battle  was 
fought.     This  we  accomplished,  and  then  struck  across  the  prairie  country 


PAST  AND  PRESENT. 


187 


towards  Prairie  du  Chien.  On  the  third  day  we  reached  a  settlement,  where 
we  remained  a  week  to  recruit.  There  were  remnants  of  the  Winnebago  tribe 
of  Indians  encamped  near  this  place.  We  informed  them  of  our  loss,  and  in- 
stituted search  through  the  entire  camp,  but  found  nothing.  The  chief  of  this 
band  told  us,  that  some  Eoot  River  Indians  had  been  on  a  hunt  in  that  neigh- 
borhood, and  had  gone  to  Prairie  du  Chien.  I  pursued  them,  but  on  my  ar- 
rival there,  found  they  had  left  for  Root  River.  Many  articles  of  our  clothing, 
that  had  been  plundered  from  the  depot,  were  found  in  the  liquor-shops  of 
Prairie  du  Chien,  which  had  been  sold  by  this  strolling  band  of  Indians.  Our 
pack-horses,  that  strayed  away  at  the  time  of  the  hurricane,  were  found  some 
four  weeks  afterward,  and  brought  into  camp.  Thus,  by  their  absence,  our 
party  were  compelled  to  eat  dog  instead  of  horse  flesh  I" 

Up  to  this  date,  nothing  definite  was  known  of  the  Territory  lying  between 
the  waters  of  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri.  The  title  to  the  lands  bordering 
upon  the  Mississippi  were  being  extinguished  slowly,  and  in  small  parcels. 
The  Winnebagoes  occupied  a  strip  running  from  the  Mississippi  River,  at 
Prairie  du  Chien,  to  the  Des  Moines  River,  forty  miles  in  width,  called 
"Neutral  Grounds."  The  Pottowattomies  had  removed  from  Rock  River, 
Illinois,  to  the  Western  side  of  this  State,  bordering  on  the  Missouri.  But 
few,  if  any  but  Indians,  had  ever  crossed  this  Territory  to  the  Missouri. 
Trappers  and  hunters  told  many  highly  colored  tales  of  the  beauty  of  the 
country,  of  its  glassy  lakes,  with  pebled  shores,  the  abode  of  vast  herds 
of  buffalo,  elk,  and  deer ;  of  feathered  game,  and  of  the  finney  tribe.  The 
spirit  of  enterprise,  the  lore  of  research,  and  of  Nature's  grand  solitude, 
again  prompted  Mr.  Barrows  to  shoulder  his  rifle  and  start  upon  the  trail  of 
the  red  man.  He  wrote  to  Gov.  Lucas,  the  Secretary  of  State,  the  Surveyor 
General,  and  others,  proposing  to  explore  the  country  lying  between  the  two 
rivers,  sketch  its  topography,  and  project  a  map  of  all  the  country  lying 
between  these  rivers,  as  far  North  as  the  forty-third  parallel.  This  was  ac- 
complished in  three  successive  years.  On  his  first  tour  he  experienced  many 
hinderances  and  difficulties  from  the  Winnebago  Indians.  He  had  ascended 
the  Wabisipinica  River  to  the  boundary  line  of  the  Neutral  Grounds,  early  in 
September;  built  him  a  cabin  for  a  winter  depot,  but  could  get  no  communi- 
cation with  the  Chief  of  that  nation,  until  the  return  of  the  Indians  from  their 
annual  payment  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  which  was  not  until  the  first  of  Novem- 
ber. 

The  Chief's  village  was  some  five  miles  from  his  cabin.  Mr.  Barrows  had 
furnished  himself  with  a  native  youth  from  the  Mission  School  at  Fort  Atkin- 
son for  interpreter.  The  arrival  of  the  Chief,  Chos-chun-ca,  (Big  Wave,)  was 
at  last  announced,  Mr.  Barrows  invitation  presented  in  due  form  for  the  Chief 
to  visit  him  in  his  cabin,  which  was  not  upon  his  grounds.  At  the  time  ap- 
pointed, the  Chief  made  his  appearance,  with  some  twelve  of  his  warriors. 

"  He  was  clothed,"  says  Mr,  Barrows,  "  in  a  buffalo  over-coat,  a  stove-pipe 
hat,  and  a  pair  of  green  spectacles.     These  had  recently  been  presented  by  some 


188  DAVENPORT 


oflicers  and  friends  at  the  Fort.  I  exhibited  my  passport  from  Gov.  Chambers, 
and  told  him  I  wished  to  go  across  his  country,  to  make  a  picture  of  it,  to 
Bhow  his  great  father,  the  President. 

After  hearing  me,  and  examining,  with  much  minuteness,  my  maps  and 
sketches,  some  of  which  he  corrected,  he  refused,  with  much  earnestness, 
my  passage  into  his  country  for  any  such  purpose.  He  said  that  he  very  well 
knew  the  object  his  great  father  had  in  sending  me  there,  and  that  he  had  no 
great  respect  for  the  "  Big  Captain  at  Washington,"  if  he  took  such  a  course 
to  find  out  the  value  of  his  land — that  if  I  found  it  good  and  pleasant  for  the 
white  man  to  live  upon,  it  would  be  well,  and  his  father  would  purchase  it, 
but  if  I  found  it  bad,  he  would  give  him  but  liUle  money  for  it,  and,  therefore, 
I  should  not  go." 

After  many  entreaties  and  presents,  Mr.  Barrows  found  it  of  no  use,  and, 
leaving  part  of  his  men  at  the  depot,  he  set  out,  with  but  one  man,  across  the 
country,  to  Fort  Atkinson,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles,  on  Turkey 
River,  without  any  map  or  trail,  and  with  full  expectation  of  being  overtaken  by 
the  Indians,  and  brought  back.  But  on  the  first  day  out,  a  dense  fog  covered 
the  prairie,  and  it  rained  in  torrents  for  twenty-four  hours,  overflowing  the 
banks  of  all  the  streams,  which  made  it  necessary  to  swim  it  themselves  and 
horses.  On  the  second  day,  near  night,  they  came  back  to  the  first  night's 
camp,  in  a  small  grove,  having  been  lost  in  the  fog  and  rain  the  whole  time, 
and  traveling  at  good  rates.  It  cleared  up  after  a  snow  storm,  and  he  reached 
the  Fort  on  the  fifth  day.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Lowry,  who  had  charge  of  the  Mis- 
sion School,  at  that  place,  gave  him  a  passport  across  the  country,  and  wrote 
a  letter  to  the  Chief,  which,  being  interpreted  to  him,  he  was  allowed  to  pro- 
ceed. Not,  however,  until  he  had  made  him  presents  of  corn,  pipes  and 
tobacco. 

"  Barrows'  New  Map  of  Iowa,  with  Notes,"  was  published  in  1854,  by  Doolit- 
tle  &  Munson,  Cincinnati ;  and  was  a  work,  at  that  day,  of  much  importance. 
The  Legislature  ordered  copies  for  each  member,  and  for  the  ofiQcers  of  State. 
Many  works  since  written  on  Iowa  have  been  largely  indebted  to  this  valuable 
little  work.  It  is  brief,  yet  comprehensive,  in  its  character,  easy  and  vigorous, 
and  was  the  cause  of  satisfjing  a  wide-spread  enquiry  East  in  regard  to  the 
character  and  resources  of  Iowa. 

From  1845  to  '60,  Mr.  Barrows  was  engaged  most  of  the  time  in  the  surveys 
of  the  Government,  and  those  of  the  County  which  he  had  charge  of  for  many 
years  as  County  Surveyor,  often  making  excursions  into  the  newly  settled 
portions  of  the  State,  examining  the  most  prominent  points  of  location,  in 
many  of  which  he  has  made,  we  believe,  some  very  important  investments.  His 
knowledge  of  Iowa,  as  a  State,  is  probably  as  extensive  and  correct  as  that  of 
any  man  who  ever  traveled  over  it,  and  his  judgment  upon  Real  Estate  invest- 
ment has  been  of  the  most  judicious  and  satisfactory  character,  not  only  to  him- 
self, but  to  those  for  whom  he  has  operated  as  an  agent.  His  present  business 
is  that  of  a  Land  Agent,  and  a  partner  in  the  house  of  Barrows  &  Millard 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  189 


of  Sioux  City,  Iowa,  and  Barrows,  Millard  &  Co.,  Omaha  City,  N.  T.  In  the 
Spring  of  1850,  business  of  all  kinds  being  dull  in  the  West,  he  seized  upon 
the  opportunity  to  gratify  his  long  and  ardent  desire  to  visit  the  plains,  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  the  shores  of  the  Pacific. 

This  was  a  project  of  long  standing  in  his  mind,  and  he  entered  upon  it 
with  much  earnestness  and  vigor.  Being  fully  equipped  for  such  an  expe- 
dition, he  crossed  the  State  of  Iowa  early  in  March,  and  left  the  Missouri  River 
opposite  Council  Bluffs,  in  company  with  a  California  train,  on  the  23d  of 
April,  following  the  north  fork  of  Platte  River,  through  the  present  territory 
of  Nebraska,  to  Fort  Laramie,  through  the  Black  Hills,  and  thence  up  the 
Sweet-water  River  to  the  South  Pass  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

His  outfit  consisted  of  a  light  two-horse  wagon,  with  five  horses,  and  two 
men. 

The  year  1850,  was  one  long  to  be  remembered  by  those  who  passed  over 
the  route  to  California.  The  season  was  cold  and  backward,  grass  did  not 
grow  sufficient  for  forage  until  May,  and  for  some  two  weeks  of  the  early  part 
of  the  journey,  the  animals  were  fed  upon  dry  grass  chopped,  and  rolled  in 
wheat  flour,  and  browsed  upon  shrubs  and  trees  cut  for  that  purpose.  This 
misfortune,  at  the  beginning,  so  reduced  Mr.  Barrows'  horses,  as  well  as  others, 
that  one  after  another  of  his  team  gave  out,  and  either  died,  or  was  left  by  the 
way. 

He  left  bis  wagon  on  the  Humbolt,  making  pack-saddles  for  the  horses  that 
were  left ;  and  abandoning  every  thing  but  a  few  clothes,  and  his  surveying 
instruments,  he,  with  his  men,  traveled  on  foot  upwards  of  four  hundred  miles 
before  reaching  the  base  of  the  Nevada  Mountains,  at  which  place  he  was  left 
with  only  one  horse  to  pass  the  mountains  with,  and  which  died  soon  after 
reaching  California,  where  he  arrived  the  I5th  of  July.  One  of  his  men  died 
soon  after  his  arrival. 

A  very  interesting  account  of  this  trip  was  given  by  Mr.  Barrows  in  a  series 
of  letters  from  California,  published  in  the  Democratic  Banner  of  this  city,  at 
that  time,  describing,  in  most  vivid  colors,  the  difficulties  and  dangers,  trials 
and  hardships,  of  a  journey  to  the  Pacific.  His  description  of  the  South  Pass, 
in  the  mountains,  so  long  looked  upon  as  the  great  barrier  to  all  communica- 
tion with  the  Pacific  by  Railway,  is  the  most  graphic  and  satisfactory  we  ever 
remember  to  have  read  of  this  celebrated  land-mark  of  the  mountains.  He 
details,  in  full,  the  face  of  the  country  in  ascending  the  Platte  and  Sweet- 
Water  Rivers,  and  at  all  the  most  prominent  points,  gives  the  latitude,  longi- 
tude, and  altitude,  showing  the  feasibility  of  a  Railroad  thus  far  to  the  Pacific 
which  has  since  been  fully  endorsed  by  more  scientific  research.  We  cannot 
here  refrain  from  giving  a  single  extract  from  one  of  his  letters  : 

"  The  South  Pass,"  says  Mr.  Barrows,   "  is  far  different  in  its  appearance 
to  what  I  had  imagined,  from  any  description  that  I  had  ever  seen.     It  is  true 
but  little  was  known  of  it,  and  much  less  written.     I  had  imagined  some  chasm 
or  deep  cut  in  the  mountains,  through  which  we  would  bo  compelled  to  wind 


190  DAVENPORT 


our  way,  or  that  I  might,  perhaps,  find  a  pathway  rent  apart  in  the  mountains 
by  some  great  volcanic  action,  and  thus  we  should  find  our  perilous  way 
through  this  wonderful  Pass. 

"  But  it  is  far  different.  It  is  a  beautiful  prairie  country,  even  upon  the 
summit  level ;  and  no  one,  with  ordinary  observation,  can  possibly  mistake  the 
spot,  marked  by  Fremont  as  the  highest  point  attained  in  the  Pass. 

"  For  days,  the  traveler,  in  his  gradual  assent,  finds  all  the  streams  running 
back  towards  the  Atlantic,  and  as  he  follows  up  the  last  rivulet  to  the  summit, 
and  passes  over  a  level  space  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  all  the  little  brooks  and 
streamlets  begin  to  run  for  the  Pacific.  Then  you  have  passed  the  summit  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains  !  I  cannot  describe  my  feelings,  as  I  stood  and  gazed 
from  the  lofty  eminence  upon  all  that  is  good  and  noble  in  the  works  of 
Creation.  A  sense  of  solitude  pervades  the  whole  scene.  Upon  the  right 
hand,  away  to  the  North,  are  the  Wind  River  Mountains,  with  their  tops 
covered  with  perpetual  snow,  and  although  some  sixty  miles  distant,  yet  so 
clear  and  transparent  is  the  atmosphere  in  this  high  altitude,  we  could  even 
discern  bodies  of  trees,  and  the  drifted  snow,  as  it  hung  over  the  rocky  pre- 
cipices. The  antelope,  or  the  mountain  goat,  can  be  seen  feeding  in  quiet  for 
miles  distant,  and  the  hunter  is  often  deceived  in  his  approach  to  animals  of 
the  chase.  The  purity  of  the  atmosphere  is  such,  that  the  traveler  feels 
buoyed  up  with  unusual  vigor,  and  speeds  his  way  with  uncommon  ease  and 
rapidity.  Before  you  lies  the  Great  Basin,  five  hundred  miles  in  extent,  and 
as  far  as  the  eye  can  extend,  nothing  can  be  seen  but  a  vast  plane,  sleeping 
amid  the  solitude  and  grandeur  that  has  filled  this  desolate  region  since  its 
creation. 

"  This  Pass  has  derived  its  name,  probably,  from  a  depression  of  the  moun- 
tain chain  at  this  place,  and  is  seen  only  when  at  a  distance  of  a  hundred 
miles.  As  the  traveler  approaches  from  such  a  distance,  it  has  the  appearance 
of  a  gap,  or  cut,  but  when  in  it,  it  is  one  vast  space." 

Mr.  Barrows  spent  the  Summer  in  California,  traveling  much  of  the  time. 
As  the  rainy  season  approached,  he  left  there  for  Central  America,  and  thenco 
to  Cuba,  where  he  spent  some  time,  and  returned  to  Iowa  early  in  1851. 

From  that  time  until  the  present,  Mr.  Barrows  has  resided  in  Davenport, 
busying  himself  in  attending  to  his  lands.  Land  Business,  and  in  erecting  a 
capacious  and  handsome  residence.  This  last,  is  about  half  way  up  the  bluffs, 
nearly  opposite  the  Island,  and  overlooks  a  magnificent  view  of  natural  and 
architectural  beauty.  The  house  is  ample,  finely  finished,  and  prejected  upon 
a  plan  that  marks  its  owner  as  a  man  of  taste. 

Mr.  Barrows,  we  are  happy  to  add,  has  secured,  as  the  result  of  his  active 
life,  an  ample  fortune,  which  no  one  is  better  qualified  than  himself,  by 
education,  habit,  and  inclination,  to  enjoy. 

His  life  has  been  a  stirring  and  useful  one  ;  for,  while  ever  laboring  to 
secure  a  competence,  he  has  at  no  time  been  unmindful  of  the  claims  o 
society  upon  each  of  its  members,  and  has,  therefore,  at  various  times,  given 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  191 


letters  to  the  public,  containing  valuable  scientific,  and  other  information, 
while  his  work  upon  the  map  of  Iowa  has  done  more  to  disseminate  a  knowledge 
of  our  State  than  anything  of  the  kind  ever  published. 

In  regard  to  his  social  character,  Mr.  Barrows  takes  a  high  rank.  He  pos- 
sesses an  illimitable  fund  of  anecdote,  pointed  as  to  witticism,  and  valuable 
for  their  informationj:  and  he  enjoys  the  sparkling  bon  mot  of  conversation  with 
the  fine  relish  of  a  Frenchman.  His  own  portly  form  shaking  with  laughter 
over  some  reminiscence  of  the  ludicrous,  and  a  choice  audience  roaring  with 
mirthfulness,  is  a  common  sight  to  all  who  have  the  pleasure  of  his  ac- 
quaintance. 

Liberal,  charitable,  a  Christian,  the  possessor  of  a  fortune,  respected,  en- 
joying the  best  of  health,  and  with  social  relations,  harmonious,  and  desirable, 
Mr.  Barrows  now  rests  after  his  eventful  life,  and  it  is  the  sincere  wish  of  all 
who  know  him,  that  many  years  will  yet  be  his  portion,  which  may  be  as 
pleasant  and  happy  as  his  early  life  has  been  laborious  and  active. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  193 


CHAPTER   XIX. 


CAPT.  JAMES  MAY. 


James  Mat  was  born  on  the  1st  day  of  October,  1804,  in  Cape  Girardeau 
county,  Missouri.  His  father  and  mother  went  from  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania 
in  1803,  and,  with  some  of  their  relatives,  were  among  the  "  early  settlers" 
of  the  now  Great  North  West.  The  history  of  the  family  from  the  year  1798 
when  the  Grand-father  of  the  present  James  May  was  forced  to  leave  Ireland, 
with  his  family,  in  consequence  of  his  active  participation  in  the  cause  of  civil 
and  religious  liberty  in  his  native  country,  with  the  incidents  of  their  frontier 
lives  in  the  North-west,  and  Texas,  where  some  of  them  emigrated  many  years 
since,  would  make  an  interesting  volume. 

The  father  and  family  of  Capt.  May  left  St.  Genevieve  on  a  keel  boat,  bound 
for  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  in  the  Spring  of  1807.  The  crew  of  the  keel 
boat,  from  sickness  and  fatigue,  became  unable  to  work  the  boat  to  Louisville. 
Alexander  May  (the  father  of  Capt.  May,)  was  obliged  to  work  hard  for  several 
days  to  reach  that  point.  At  Louisville,  the  Patroon  (or  Captain,)  of  the 
keel  boat  abandoned  the  trip  to  Pittsburgh,  and  Mr.  May  was  left  there  with 
his  family  and  effects.  No  boat  was  to  be  obtained  that  was  going  up  the 
River,  but  he  determined  to  proceed,  and  for  this  purpose  procured  the  best 
thing  available — which  was  an  old  oak  skiff.  In  this  he  placed  his  family, 
some  six  hundred  pounds  of  lead,  cooking  utensils,  &c.,  and  started  from 
Louisville  up  the  River.  His  progress  to  Pittsburgh — a  distance  of  stz  hundred 
miles — evinced  that  he  was  a  man  as  well  of  nerve  as  of  immense  physical  en- 
durance. With  only  the  help  of  one  man  for  three  days  on  the  rout,  he  rowed 
the  boat  alone  the  entire  distance,  receiving  only  such  assistance  as  his  wife 
could  render  by  steering  the  boat.  The  Grand-mother  cared  for  one  child 
Mrs.  May  for  the  youngest  with  one  arm,  while  acting  as  helms-woman  with 
the  other.  Mr.  May's  hands  were  so  contracted  from  the  length  of  time  they 
had  been  closed  about  the  oars,  that  for  years  he  could  not  straighten  them 

25 


194 


DAVENPORT 


V 


and  they  were  so  calloused  tbat  he  could,  without  pain,  hold  red-hot  coals  in 
them.  There  was  more  heroism  in  this  long  journey  than  is  visible  at  the  first 
glance. 

Capt.  May  commenced  flat-boating  on  the  Ohio  in  1822,  and  continued  in 
this  business  until  1827,  when  he  obtained  the  mastership  of  the  steamboat 
Shamrock  ;  and,made  the  first  voyage  on  her  from  Pittsburgh  to  Galena,  which 
was  the  first  business  trip  ever  made  on  the  Upper  Mississippi,  by  a  steam-boat — 
that  is,  from  St.  Louis  to  Galena.  Steamboats  had  before  ascended  with 
military  troops  and  stores,  but  had  always  after  returned  to  their  trade  at  other 
points. 

Capt.  May  continued  on  the  Upper  Mississippi,  as  Master  of  a  steamboat, 
until  1834,  or  a  period  of  seven  years.'  During  this  time  he  saw  much  of 
Indian  and  other  life,  and  was  personally  cognizant  of  many  scenes  connected 
with  Black  Hawk,  Keokuk,  and  the  war  of  1832.  He  brought  Gen.  Gaines 
and  suite  to  Rock  Island  in*  1831,  at  the  time  of  the  memorable  interview  be- 
tween that  ofBcer  and  Black  Hawk.  We  give  an  account  of  the  affair  in  Capt. 
May's  own  words : 

"A  few  hours  after  our  arrival  at  Fort  Armstrong,  Gen.  Gaines  concluded 
to  send  for  the  Chiefs  and  Braves  of  the  Band  to  hold  a  council  with  them,  and 
desired  me  to  remain  with  the  Boat  until  the  council  could  be  held,  which  was 
appointed  to  be  the  next  day. 

"  Black  Hawk,  with  a  considerable  number  of  Chiefs  and  Braves,  came  to 
the  council  chamber,  which  was  a  log  building  some  distance  from  the  Fort. 
The  Indians  were  all  armed,  each  with  various  implements,  in  full  preparation 
for  war.  They  made  bold  and  defiant  demonstrations  in  the  council  chamber, 
and  used  even  impertinent  language  to  Gen.  Gaines  and  his  officers.  (I  stood 
by  the  side  of  an  Indian  trader,  who  interpreted  to  me.)  Every  officer  and 
white  man  in  the  chamber  knew  there  was  imminent  danger,  as  the  Indians  were 
all  efficiently  armed,  and  not  an  officer  or  white  man  in  the  room  had  a  weapon. 

"  Mr.  Antoine  LeClaire  was  the  interpreter,  and  did  his  duty  on  that  oc- 
casion most  admirably.  His  judicious,  cautious,  and  conciliatory  management, 
on  that  day,  was,  I  believe,  the  means  of  saving  the  lives  of  many  officers  and 
men,  as  well  as  his  own  life.  He,  as  well  as  all  who  were  witnesses  of  the 
council,  saw  the  imminent  danger." 

On  the  trip  down  to  St.  Louis,  (before  bringing  up  Gen.  Gaines,)  Keokuk, 
and  several  other  Chiefs,  accompanied  by  an  interpreter,  were  passengers  with 
Capt.  May.  They  stopped  at  Yellow  Banks,  where  Black  Hawk  and  his  Band 
were  encamped.  At  the  solicitation  of  Capt.  May,  and  others,  Keokuk  landed, 
and  made  the  disaffected  party  a  most  eloquent  speech,  advising  them  to  avoid 
strife  with  the  whites,  and  to  quietly  remove  west  of  the  Mississippi.  It  is 
needless  to  add  that  his  advice  was  unheeded. 

Keokuk  was  a  passenger  with  Capt.  May  on  another  occasion.  Having  ex- 
perienced much  difficulty,  at  various  times,  in  crossing  the  Upper  and  Lower 
Rapids,  Capt.  May  had  become  impressed  with  the  idea  that,  in  course  of  time, 


PAST  AND  PKESENT.  195 


towns  must  be  built  at  the  head  and  foot  of  each  Rapids — in  fact  it  may,  in 
justice  to  him,  be  claimed  that  he  was  thefirst  to  suggest  the  location  of  towns 
on  the  spots  now  occupied  by  the  important  cities  of  Davenport  and  LeClaire. 
On  this  occasion  he  strenuously  urged  upon  Keokuk  the  importance  of  reserv- 
ing to  his  nation  a  portion  of  land  thirty  or  forty  miles  square  in  this  vicinity, 
when  the  land  was  purchased  by  Government.  Keokuk  seems  to  have  disre- 
garded his  advice,  however  much  it  may  have  impressed  him  at  the  time. 

As  an  illustration  of  Indian  ingenuity,  he  relates  that  when  near  the  mouth 
of  Iowa  River  in  1831,  they  noticed  that  the  surface  of  the  Mississippi  was 
covered  with  floating  leaves.  An  Indian  trader  on  board  explained  the  curi- 
osity by  stating  that  Indians  somewhere  above  had  been  fen-ying  their  horses 
over  the  river.  This  was  the  case,  for  when  they  arrived  at  New  Boston  they 
found  several  hundred  Indians  and  horses  that  had  but  just  finished  crossing. 
Their  ferry-boats  were  constructed  by  placing  half  a  dozen  canoes  side  by  side, 
six  inches  or  a  foot  apart.  Poles  were  then  laid  traversely  across  the  canoes, 
and  the  whole  well  covered  with  leaves.  This  made  a  perfectly  safe,  and  most 
ingenious  craft. 

After  leaving  the  River  in  1834,  Capt.  May  entered  in  business  with  John 
Andoe,  tf  Pittsburgh,  under  the  firm  of  May  &  Andoe  They  carried  on  an 
extensive  Grocery,Commission,  Receiving,  and  Forwarding,as  well  as  Steamboat 
Building  business.  During  his  business  career,  Capt.  May  superintended  the 
building  of  over  fifty  steamboats,  and  more  than  twice  as  many  barges,  and 
other  boats. 

He  was  one  of  the  original  proprietors  of  Davenport — although  not 
until  1847  a  resident  of  the  place.  He  owns  largely,  both  here  and  at 
LeClaire,  having  purchased  in  full  faith  of  the  vast  improvement  which 
time  would  evolve  in  both  places.  He  is  now  one  of  our  wealthiest  iahab- 
itants.  He  is  a  thorough  believer  in  the  West — labors  hard  for  its  interests 
with  tongue  and  pen.  His  nature  is  kind,  genial,  and  pacific — as  a  superior 
business  man,  the  past  can  amply  witness. 

We  cannot  better  conclude  our  hasty  sketch,  than  by  giving  an  extract 
from  a  note  sent  us  in  reply  to  one  soliciting  the  leading  circumstances  of  his 
life: 

"  I  have  made  many  visits  to  this  country  since  the  year  1827,  and  have  had 
familiar  acquaintance  with  many  thousands  of  the  inhabitants  during  the  past 
thirty  years,  and  have  watched  with  interest  the  progress  of  improvement  ou 
and  near  the  Mississippi  River.  Year  after  year  the  progress  seemed  wonder- 
ful. Indeed,  the  immense  increase  of  population,  with  the  vast  evidences  of 
enterprise,  skill,  perseverance,  talent,  and  capital,  scattered  over  the  land 
within  the  past  twelve  years,  seems  to  me  now  more  like  magic  than  reality. 
Then,  again,  when  I  philosophise,  in  my  rude  way,  I  feel  persuaded  that  even 
this  wonderfully  rapid  and  apparently  magic  progress  cannot  for  many  years 
be  retarded,  or  if  temporarily  obstructed,  the  suspension  must  be  of  short  du- 
ration, and  the  progress  be  the  more  rapid  and  permanent  thereafter.     This 


196  DAVENPORT 


point,  and  say  a  distance  of  twenty  miles  above,  is  certainly  the  most  attrac- 
tive point  to  be  found  from  St.  Anthony  Falls  to  the  mouth  of  the  Missis- 
sippi. I  feel  safe,  in  the  assertion,  that  there  are  very  few  spots  on  the  face 
of  this  earth  that  has  many  more  natural  advantages,  in  the  same  space,  than 
has  been  conferred  by  Providence  on  this  twenty  miles  square.  The  salubrity 
of  the  climate,  depth  and  fertility  of  soil,  contiguity  to  markets  and  facility  for 
transportation  and  importation,  are  blessings  pertaining  peculiarly  to  this 
location  on  the  Father  of  Waters. 

Besides  the  enjoyment  of  all  these  in  an  eminent  degree,  we  have  tributary 
to  this  point,  or  on  the  tract,  an  excellent  quality,  and  almost  inexhaustable 
quantity,  of  timber,  stone,  stone  coal,  lime  sand,  (of  superior  quality  for  glass 
making,)  lead,  iron,  &c.,  thus  we  have  facilities  to  procure  all  elements  and 
implements  for  manufactures  on  an  extensive  scale.  The  Valley  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi and  tributaries,  with  the  Rail  and  other  roads,  concentrating  at  this 
point,  make  this  one  of  the  most  desirable  points  for  judicious  investment,  for 
extensive  operations  in  manufacturing  establishments,  that  can  be  found  in  the 
United  States. 

We  have,  at  this  point,  the  Rapids,  which  are,  in  a  low  and  moderate  stage 
of  the  River,  an  impediment  to  Navigation,  which  is  an  advantage,  as  it  makes 
an  anchorage,  and  a  portio  of  the  year,  a  terminus  at  two  points — Dav- 
enport and  LeClaire.  On  this  tract,  consequently,  those  two  points  must,  in 
ii  few  _^trtis,  grow  t'l  be  great  Commercial,  Manufacturing,  and  Produce 
iJepi)t.- ;  Jiiid  with  the  obvious  advantages  presented  in  the  intervening  space 
ou  the  uiiirgin  of  the  River,  from  Davenport  to  LeClaire,  ere  many  years 
it  will  wear  more  the  aspect  of  a  Manufacturing  Town  than  a  "country  place." 

One  fact  more  having  bearing  upon  Capt.  May  may  be  added  in  regard  to 
that  portion  of  a  man's  character  which  induces  him  to  tenaciously  adhere  to 
what  he  believes  to  be  the  true  faith,  whether  religious  or  political.  Capt. 
May  says  : 

"  Myself  and  Mr.  John  Andoe  were  in  the  Financial  Storm  of  ISS?,  as  well 
as  for  some  time  before  and  after  that  date,  and  were  the  only  Wholesale  Grocers 
and  Commission  Merchants  in  the  city  of  Pittsburgh  who  were  Anti-United 
States  Bank  Democrats,  and  am  proud  to  say  that  we  both  still  adhere  to  the 
same  political  faith." 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  197 


CHAPTER    XX. 


HON.   CHAS.  WESTOK. 


Judge  Weston  was  born  May,  1811,  in  Washington  county.  New  York.  He 
was  the  youngest  son  of  Hon.  Roswell  Weston,  Judge  in  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas.  The  subject  of  our  biography  graduated  at  an  early  age  at  the  Renn- 
salaer  Institute,  of  Troy,  and,  in  1832,  commenced  reading  law  under  his  father 
and  Gen.  Orville  Clark — who  were  then  in  partnership.  He  remained  with 
them  some  two  years,  and  then  transferred  his  studies  to  the  office  of  Hon. 
Esek  Cowen — who  was  afterwards  one  of  the  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  the  State. 

Several  of  the  highest  lawyers  of  the  day  were  cotemporary  with  Judge 
Weston  at  the  time — Hon.  Mark  Skinner,  now  of  Chicago,  and  Nicholas  Hill, 
Jr.,  of  Albany,  New  York,  studying  in  the  same  office,  and  Hon.  Daniel 
UUman,  and  Hon.  Ed.  Sandford,  being  admitted  to  the  Bar  of  the  Supreme 
Court  in  the  same  class  of  examination  in  1836. 

Judge  Weston  engaged  for  nearly  a  year,  after  his  admission,  in  practicing 
law  in  his  father's  office,  and  then  through  the  representations  of  some  pro- 
prietors of  the  "  Half  Breed  Tract,"  who  resided  in  New  York,  he  was  induced 
to  start  for  the  West.  The  glowing  enthusiasm  of  the  owners  of  jthe  "  Half- 
Breed  Tract,"  was,  however,  lost  in  his  case,  for,  instead  of  proceeding  thither' 
he  went  to  Burlington.  He  reached  that  place  in  December,  1837,  having 
crossed  the  country  in  the  first  stage  (owned  by  the  well-known  Frink,)  that 
ever  went  through  from  Chicago.  His  advent  in  Iowa  was  not  as  pleasant  as 
it  is  now,  when  Steam  Ferry  Boats  have  supplanted  shaky  flat-boats,  and  pre- 
carious "  dug-outs."  The  Mississippi  was  crowded  with  floating  ice,  and  he 
nearly  lost  his  life  in  crossing — he,  however,  succeeded,  but  more  dead  than 
alive. 

He  entered  the  small  hotel,  and  after  warming  himself,  and  recovering  a 


198  DAVENPORT 


living  amount  of  energy,  ho  surveyed  the  company  present.  There  "were  a 
couple  of  gentlemen  who  attracted  his  attention — one  was  a  rather  loose,  un- 
dandified  young  man,  with  a  particularly  large  head,  and  stack  of  hair, 
each  member  of  vrhich  rose  erect  in  proud  independence  of  the  others. 
His  companion  was  a  rather  sharp-looking  individual,  and  was  armed  cap-a.pie, 
in  stout  old  homespun,  of  true  Vermont  origin.  Both  were  young  men — and 
either  would  have  attracted  considerable  attention  in  Broadway.  Judge 
Weston  received  an  introduction  ;  the  first  was  Mr.  Grimes,  and  the  other  Mr. 
Starr.  Mr.  Grimes,  better  known  as  Jas.  W.  Grimes,  has  since  been  Governor  of 
Iowa,  and  is  now  United  States  Senator,  while  Mr.  Starr  is  one  of  the  first  law- 
yers in  the  West.  These  were  Judge  Weston's  first  acquaintances  west  of 
the  River,  and  both  illustrated  admirably  the  fact,  that  "  appearances  are  de- 
ceiving." 

He  commenced  the  practice  of  law  in  Burlington,  and  continued  so  to  do  for 
a  year  or  more,  alternating  his  legal  duties  with  trips  into  the  back  country 
for  the  purposes  of  health,  adventure,  or  excitement.  On  one  of  these  occa- 
sions, himself,  and  H.  W.  Starr,  were  spending  a  short  time  with  Jerry  Smith, 
a  well  known  Indian  trader  of  that  time.  While  there,  Black  Hawk  and  his 
son  arrived,  and  pitched  their  tents  in  the  vicinity.  He  was  very  sociable, 
but  most  religious  in  his  dislike  of  his  rival,  Keokuk.  Starr,  in  order  to  test 
his  feelings,  said  to  the  old  Chief:  ^'Keokuk  oc-qua-nish-a-shin  V  ("  Keokuk 
is  a  good  mnn,  is  he  not?")  Rising,  with  fury  in  his  eyes,  and  all  his  bitter 
disappointments  crowding  his  memory  and  bolstering  up  his  wrath,  the  old 
Brave  thundered  out,  ^^  Keokuk  car-win,  nish-a-shin  !"  ("Keokuk  is  not  a 
good  man  !)  It  is  impossible  to  render  in  English  the  full  and  emphatic  mean- 
ing contained  in  either  question  or  reply,  but  more  especially  so  in  case  of  the 
latter. 

Judge  Weston  was  with  W.  B.  Conway  during  his  sickness  and  death  ;  and 
soon  after  the  occurrence  of  that  deplorable  event,  he  was  appointed  Fiscal 
Agent  for  the  Territory,  and  exercised  the  duties  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Ter- 
ritory, in  place  of  Mr.  Conway. 

In  1838,  he  was  appointed  Judge  Advocate  General,  by  Gov.  Lucas,  with  the 
title  of  Colonel. 

In  1839,  by  the  death  of  incumbent  Van  Alen,  he  was  appointed  United  States 
Attorney  for  the  Territor}',  by  Mr.  Van  Buren,  which  office  he  held  until  1843. 

In  1840,  he  removed  to  Davenport,  and  purchased  a  quarter  section  of  land, 
which  he  afterward  increased  to  a  farm  of  several  hundred  acres.  He  was 
not,  however,  signally  successful  as  a  farmer — it  generally  costing  him  a  third 
more  to  raise  his  own  beef,  butter,  and  wheat,  than  it  would  to  have  paid  the 
cash  for  them.  He,  therefore,  abandoned  the  pursuit  of  Agricultural  prom- 
inence under  such  difficulties,  married,  and  moved  into  the  city,  where  he  has 
since  resided. 

He  was  elected  Mayor  in  1851,  and  County  Judge  in  1857,  which  office  he 
at  present  fills,  in  a  manner  at  once  satisfiictory  to  his  constituents,  and  hon- 


orable  to  the  ermine.  It  may  be  added  that  none  more  than  himself  are 
suaviter  in  modo,  and  hence  the  difficult  relations  of  his  office  are  always  pre- 
served in  a  manner  that  leaves  none  other  than  pleasurable  impressions — how- 
ever inharmonious  or  antagonistic  be  the  influences  with  which  he  may  have  to 
deal. 

He  is  now  in  the  enjoyment  of  an  honorable  independence,  has  fine  tastes  and 
means  for  their  gratification.  His  progenitors  are  noted  for  longevity — his  father 
being  now  eighty-seven — and  he  himself  will  probably  extend  the  term  of  his 
life  and  enjoyment  to  an  equal  extent.  That  such  may  be  the  case,  not  one 
will  otherwise  wish,  as  his  urbanity,  genial  sympathies,  and  classic  tastes,  have 
acquired  for  him  the  friendship  and  respect  of  all  who  know  him. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  201 


CHAPTER    XXI. 


CAPT.  LeROY  dodge. 


Capt.  Dodge  was  bora  in  December,  1811,  in  Herkimer  county,  New  York. 
His  father  was  a  farmer,  and  his  sons  received  such  educational  opportunities 
as  are  usually  given  to  farmer's  children — hard  work  in  the  Summer,  and  the 
advantages  of  a  District  School  in  the  Winter.  Mr.  Dodge  made  his  debut  in 
active  life,  outside  of  the  farm,  as  a  school  teacher — which  pursuit  he  fol- 
lowed some  three  winters.  Of  his  success  in  this  department,  we  cannot  speak 
positively — but  as  he  possesses  a  peculiarity  of  doing  everything  well,  it  can 
be  inferred  with  a  tolerable  degree  of  certainty,  that  his  endeavors  to  "  teach 
the  young  idea  to  shoot"  we-e  rewarded  with  due  and  proper  results. 

In  1833,  he  started  West — spent  one  year  in  Ohio,  then  footed  it  to  Lake 
Michigan,  crossing  in  a  small  schooner  to  Detroit,  and  in  due  time  reached 
Chicago.  He  finished  his  pedestrian  tour  by  footing  it  to  Joliet,  and  from 
thence  to  Dubuque,  at  which  place  he  obtained  a  situation  as  Clerk,  with  G. 
W.  Atchison. 

He  remained  in  this  situation  one  and  a  half  years,  and  then  commenced 
life  upon  the  Father  of  Waters — the  Mississippi.  He  started  as  Clerk,  and 
fought  his  way  by  dint^of  perseverance  and  industry  from  the  Clerk's  Desk  to 
the  Wheel  House,  and  from  thence  to  the  "  Captain's  OfEce" — evincing 
throughout  these  transformations  the  indisputable  fact  that  labor  is  the  price 
of  success.  In  the  Fall  of  the  same  year — 1836 — that  he  commenced  on  the 
River,  he  located  in  Rockingham,  and  has  carried  on  farming  in  connection 
with  steamboating  ever  since.  In  1852,  he  represented  Scott  county  in  the 
State  Legislature,  as  a  Democrat — a  character,  by  the  way,  which  he  has  ever 
uncompromisingly  sustained. 

He  was  married  in  1846,  but  subsequently  lost  his  wife.  He  married  again, 
and  the  same  unfortunate  case  has  again  resulted — he  is  once  more  a  widower. 

Capt.  Dodge  is  still  engaged  in  steamboating,  although  he  does  not,  as 
formerly,  navigate  the  whole  upper  river — his  trips  being  confined  to  running 

26 


202  DAVENPORT 


a  packet  between  Keokuk  and  Davenport.  His  Boat — tlie  "  Ben  Campbell" — 
is  a  well  known  and  favorite  institution  among  [those  who  have  had  occasion 
for  river  transportation  along  that  portion  of  the  Mississippi. 

Like  many  of  our  pioneers,  Capt.  Dodge  has  accumulated  an  ample  compe- 
tence, but  unlike  that  of  many  others,  it  is  in  nowise  the  result  of  accident. 
No  Genius  of  the  Lamp  erected  it  in  a  single  night — no  sudden  and  unex- 
pected fluctuations  of  fortune's  tide  carried  him  where  he  now  is.  Every  stone 
in  the  superstructure  of  his  fortune  was  hewn  and  piled  by  his  own  arm — and 
commenced  under  circumstances  that  would  have  discouraged  any  one  with 
less'perseverance  than  he  possesses.  The  most  marked  trait  in  his  character 
is  dettrmination — it  is  seen  in  all  his  actions,  and  its  firm  unflinching  character 
is  traced  in  every  featuro  and  expression  of  his  face,  as  though  wroughv  in 
iron. 


7/ 


flucjU 


•     CHAPTER    XXII 


HIRAM  PRICE,  ESQ. 


Mr.  Price  was  born  January,  1814,  in  Washington  county,  Pennsylvania. 
He  removed,  in  1819,  to  Mifflin  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1822  to  Huntingdon 
county,  in  the  same  State,  and  in  the  Fall  of  1844  he  came  to  Davenport, 
which  place  has  since  been  his  residence. 

His  capital  in  business  was  one  hundred  dollars,  and  with  this  he  started  as 
a  ilerchant.  His  small  pecuniary  effects,  however,  were  made  up  in  other  of 
his  possessions — he  had  determined  perseverance,  inviolate  integrity,  good 
business  tact,  was  temperate  to  the  full,  and  keenly  conscientious.  With  this 
capital  he  started  into  the  work,  and  in  a  few  years  had  erected  upon  it  a  fine 
fortune. 

He  continued  in  the  Mercantile  business  until  1848.  In  1847  he  was  elected 
the  first  School  Fund  Commissioner  of  Scott  county,  which  office  he  held  nine 
years.  In  1848  he  was  elected  Recorder  and  Treasurer  of  Scott  county,  which 
positions  he  filled  for  eight  years,  after  which  he  declined  being  a  candidate  for 
re-election.  The  length  of  time  which  he  was  continued  in  these  offices  is  a 
high  compliment  to  the  manner  in  which  he  filled  them. 

Mr.  Price  has  always  taken  a  decided  and  consistent  position  in  favor  of  the 
cause  of  Temperance.  He  was  one  of  those  who,  in  February,  1848,  organized 
the  Grand  Division  of  the  Sons  of  Temperance  for  the  State  of  Iowa,  and  was 
elected  first  Grand  Worthy  A. ;  and  after.  Grand  Worthy  Patriarch  for  the 
State.  He  has  been  elected  every  year,  since  the  organization  of  the  Grand 
Division  of  Iowa,  as  representative  to  the  Nat.onal  Division  of  North 
America.  In  1847  he  was  instrumental  in  organizing  the  present  Division  of 
Sons  of  Temperance  in  this  city,  and  was  elected  the  first  W.  P.  In  1854, 
he  was  elected  President  of  the  "  Maine  Law  Alliance"  of  the  State  ;  and  he 
filled  this  position  in  a  manner  which,  while  effectual  toward  the  end  in  view, 
invariably  held  the  respect  of  its  most  inveterate  opponents. 


20-4  DAVENPORT 


lie  was  Treasurer  for  the  Scott  County  Bible  Society  for  the  years  1851,  '2, 
'6  and  '7,  and  President  for  years  1854  and  '5. 

Mr.  Price  is  entitled  to  an  infinite  deal  of  honor  for  the  jjart  he  has  taken  in 
this  section  towards  the  construction  of  our  Railroads.  He  was  one  of  the 
first,  West  of  the  Mississippi,  who  agitated  a  railroad  connection  with  the 
Atlantic,  and  it  is  owing  as  much  or  more  to  his  efforts  than  to  those  of  any 
other  one,  that  our  city  and  county  were  induced  to  subscribe  to  the  project. 

He  also  lent  his  exertions  to  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  Railroad — which, 
when  completed,  will  unite  us  with  the  Missouri  River,  and  eventually  with 
the  Pacific.  He  was  one  of  it^  corporators,  and  traveled  the  entire  length  of 
the  line  to  the  Missouri,  procuring  right  of  way  for  the  road — holding  meet- 
ings in  the  counties  through  which  the  line  runs,  for  the  purpose  of  securing 
the  interests  of  and  making  friends  for  the  M.  &  M.  R.  R.,  and  eventually 
succeeded  in  driving  off  a  project  for  a  rival  road. 

His  present  business  connections  are  a  partnership  in  the  Publishing  House 
of  Luse,  Lane  &  Co.  ;  another  in  the  Henry  County  Coal  Company,  and  he  is  also 
Secretary,  Cashier,  and  one  of  the  Directors,  of  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri 
Railroad. 

Mr.  Price  is  one  of  the  few  living,  but  much  quoted,  examples  of  whatperse- 
Terance,  untiring  industry,  and,  above  all,  integrity,  will  accomplish.  In  four- 
teen years  each  dollar  of  his  original  hundred  has  been  reproduced  in  a 
thousand  ;  and  with  them  all  is  the  conviction  that  they  are  the  fruit  of  honest 
industry. 

His  views  and  position  upon  Temperance  have  given  him  a  prominence 
possessed  by  no  other  private  citizen  in  the  State,  and  yet,  with  this  prom- 
inence, and  his  strong  blows  in  warring  against  the  serried  hosts  of  antagonistic 
men  and  principles,  there  is  not,  we  venture  to  say,  a  man  of  his  opponents 
who  does  not  respect  the  singular  honesty  of  his  endeavors,  and  his  entire  free- 
dom from  all  effort  to  gain  either  personal  or  political  popularity.  It  need  not 
be  added  that  he  is  liberal — the  character  we  have  thus  far  given  him,  fully 
indicates  it.  Added  to  this  trait,  he  possesses  the  utmost  regularity  of  habits 
— rising  invariably  at  six  o'clock,  well-knowing  that  life  is  short,  and  its  hours 
precious. 

With  an  expression  of  regret  that  his  fervent,  philanthropic  exertions  upon 
the  Temperance  question  have  not  met  with  the  full  success  which  their 
character  and  end  deserve,  and  of  satisfaction  that  his  life  has  practically  de- 
monstrated the  success  of  correct  principles,  we  leave  him  to  the  considera- 
tion of  our  readers. 


*\. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.                                        205 

CHAPTER    XXIII. 

The  foregoing,  althoi 

gh  including  the  prominent  men  of  Davenport,  does 

not  contain  all  who  are  prominent,  either  from  long  residence,  the  possession 

of  ability,  public  spirit, 

or  such  other  qualities  as  entitle  their  possessors  to 

prominence  in  any  com 

munity.     There  are   others   here  whose  biographies 

would  confer  honor  upon 

any  work — among  whom  are  Dr.  Barrows,  Hon.  John 

P.  Cook,  Ebenezer  Cook 

Hon.  James  Grant,  Gen.  Geo.  B.  Sargent,  D.  C.  Eld- 

ridge,  John  Forrest,  Andrew  Logan,  J.  M.  D.  Burrows,   Harvey  Leonard,  and 

not  a  few   others.     Circumstances,   however,   forbid  a  lengthened   mention, 

however  much  each  deserves  it. 

The  following   are  th 

3  names  of    settlers   who   came   to   Scott  county  on 

and  previous  to  1840,  with  the  year  of  their  coming:- 

SETTLERS  OF  1836. 

Antoine  LeClaire,  1833, 

John  Burnsides,                   Ira  C.  Van  Tuyl, 

George  L.  Davenport, 

Sam'l.  Sullivan,                   Henry  B.  Armel, 

G.  C.  R.  Mitchel,  1835, 

Samuel  Little,                       Tfaos.  H.  Armel, 

'Dr.  E.  S.  Barrows, 

James  E.  Burnsides,           E.  B.  Armel, 

James  M.  Bowling,  1835, 

James  O'Kelly,                     Jesse  Armel, 

A.  H.  Davenport, 

Wm.  0.  Hall,                       William  Armel, 

James  Mcintosh, 

A.  E.  B.  Hall,                      Jackson  Armel, 

Capt.  Leroy  Dodge, 

Andrew  J.  Hyde,                James  Armel, 

D.  C.  Eldridge, 

George  Hyde,                      David  Barry, 

Lewis  L.  Clark, 

E.  W.  H.  Winfield,              John  Carter, 

Charles  H.  Eldridge, 

Etheral  Camp,                     Charles  Carter, 

Wm.  S.  Cook, 

Benj.  Wright,                       Claudius  McLaffliu, 

Ebenezer  Cook, 

Capt.  James  E.  llurry,       Widow  John  Robinson, 

John  P.  Cook, 

Mrs.  A.  W.  M'Gregor,         Joseph  P.  Robinson, 

Wm.  Vantuyl, 

William  Velie,                      Perry  Clark, 

Jabez  A.  Burchard, 

Col.  T.   C.  Eads,                  Andrew  Ringlesby, 

Roswell  H.  Spencer, 

Stephen  Henly,                   Strather  Ringlesby, 

Adam  Noel, 

Jesse  Henly,                         Eph.  Lane, 

John  Noel, 

Foster  Campbell,                Wm.  Lane, 

Henry  C.  Morehead, 

John  P.  Cooper,                   Geo.  W.  Thorn, 

John  Armel, 

John  D.  Richey,                  Stephen  Thompson, 

Edward  Rickar, 

Rufus  Catlin,                        Wm.  Thompson, 

Louis  Hibbert,  1831, 

Robert  Wilson,                     G.  W.  Franks, 

206 


DAVENPORT 


Daviil  LeClaire, 
Lee  I.  Hull, 
I.  M.  T.  Hall, 
David  Sullivan, 
V\\  R.  Shoemaker, 
Wade  Monday,  l8o3, 


Peter  Wilson, 
Henry  Gabbert, 
Daniel  Berryman, 
William  Hubbard, 
J.  H.  Sullivan, 
Jules  Bumberg, 


Goodrich  Hubbard. 
Jerremiah  Hubbard, 
Wm.  White, 
James  Davenport, 

Henry  Buraberg, 


DEAD    AND    NON-KKSIUENT. 


Archer,  killed  at  Rockingham  lS3l.* 

Brown,  J.  M.,  Tipton,  N.  V. 

Batv,* 

Cook,  Ira,  Sr.,  1854.* 

Cook,  Ira,  Jr.,  Fort  DesMoine, 

Camp,  Jas.  JI.,  Linn  county,  Iowa, 

Campbell,  A.  W.,  died  in  California,"'^ 

Campbell,  Geo.,  California, 

Chuver,  Capt.  J.,  St.  Louis, 

Camp,  Wm.  Mt.  Vernon,  , 

Cline,  Oregon, 

Carroll,  John,  Sr.,'^' 

Carroll,  Wm.,  Rock  Island, 

Davenport,  M.,  1852,* 

Davenport,  Jas.,  Illinoig, 

Davis,  Daniel,  Tipton, 

Dutro,  Wm.,  St.  Louis, 

Dodge,  Cha?.,  Rochester,  Iowa, 

Davenport,  Otho,  HI, 

Gabbart,  David,  1855,* 

Gardner,  Wm.,  unknown, 

Giberson,  Daniel,  1840,* 

Hall,  A.  P.,* 

Hall,  J.  H.,* 

Hall,  W.  W.,* 

Henby,  Stephen  J.,* 

Higgins,  H.  W.,  Illinois, 

Higgins,  Jno.  V.,  Illinois, 

Higgins,  Henry,  Illinois, 

Hanks,  Wm.,  Minnesota, 

Hazlett,  Jas.,  Lvons, 

Harold,  C,  St.  Louis, 

Harrison,  Richard,  Mia.  Point, 

Hubbard,  Asael,* 

Hulse,  Stephen'* 

Harrison,  Henry,  unknown, 

Heller,* 

Hacker,  John,  drowned,* 

Kale,  Wra.,  St.  Louis, 

Lingo,  Wm.,  St.  Louis, 

Lane,  Wilcox,  Oregon. 

Davenport,  Baily  Rock  Island, 

Higginson,  J.  C,  Dubuque, 

Baptiste,  Merchant,* 

Pike,  B.  F.,  California, 


Little.  Frances,* 

Lee,  Edward,  Canada, 

Lingo,  Edward,  St.  Louis, 

Lingo,  Thos.,  St.  Louis, 

Lindsay,  Thos.  came  1835,  1839.* 

Lindsay,  Asa,  came  1835,   1839,* 

McGregor,  A.  W.,  1835,  ISST,* 

McLean,  0.  G.,  1850,* 

Morehead.  Joseph,  Insane  Hospital,  0., 

McLean,  Reuben,  St.  Louis, 

McCoy,  J  ,* 

Mountain,  Sam'l.,  St.  Louis, 

Mitchell, (G.C.  R.'s  father,)Va.,  1840,* 

Noel  Joseph,  1839,* 

Nichols,* 

Parker  Jonathan,  .Ir.,* 

Powers,  Moses,  California, 

Pope,  Jno.,  Maquoketa, 

Powers,  H.,  Lewiston,  N.  Y., 

Palmer,  David,* 

Parkhurst,  J.  W.,* 

Ricker,  Rufus,  Sr.,* 

Sullivan,  J.  H.,  Ohio, 

Shepherd,  E.  H.,New  York, 

Sebert,  Andrew,  1858,* 

Sturdevant,  Harvey,  1848,* 

Shays,  John,* 

Stubbs,  Jas.,  Captain,  1848,* 

Savoy,* 

Topen,  Joseph,  1856,* 

Tannerhill,  California, 

Turner,  Jas.,  unknown. 

Van  Allen,  1838, 

VanDyke,  Amos,* 

Watts,  Wm.  B.,  unknown, 

Wilson,  Frazier,  Rock  Island, 

Wilcox,  William,  Dr.,  1842,* 

Wilcox,  Fred.,  California, 

Wilcox,  Wm.,  Jr.,  Illinois, 

White,  Wra.,  Alton,  Illinois,  . 

White,  James,  Alton,  Illinois. 

Butler,  G.  H., 

Allen, 

Bronson,  Titus,* 

Bennum,  Wm.,  Illinois, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT. 


207 


Gavitt,  Rev.  Wm.,  Ohio, 
Sboles,  Stanton,* 
Wilson,  James,* 
AVarren,  Geo.,* 
Wilson,  John,  Kansas, 


Colton,  L.  S.,* 

Gordon,  Maj.  Wm.,* 

Emmerson,  Dr.,  1844,* 

Biimberg,  I;.,* 

Eumberg,  Alex.,  Hampton,  Illinois, 


SETTLERS  OF  1837. 


Samuel  Lyter, 

Harvey  Leonard, 

Gen.  G.  B.  Sargent, 

John  L.  CoiBn, 

Willard  Barrows, 

John  M.  Lyter, 

E.  S.  Morey, 

Capt.  John  Coleman, 

Levi  Williams, 

Nathaniel  Squires, 

John  Forrest, 

John  F.  Dillon, 

Rev.  J.  A.  Pelamorgues, 

Rev.  Enoch  Mead, 

Rodolphus  Bennet, 

Frank  Bennet, 

J.  M.*D.  Burrows, 

Mrs.  Wallace, 

Louis  A.  Macklot, 

David 


Elisha  G.  Burrows, 
H.  H.  Peas, 
Capt.  Isaac  Hawley, 
George  Hawley, 
Daniel  Hawley, 
Christopher  howe, 
Louis  Glberson, 
John  Willis, 
Elihu  Alvord, 
C.  C.  Alvord, 
Samuel  Alford, 
George  Alvord, 
Robert  Humphrey, 
John  Haywood, 
James  Robinson, 
James  Mead, 
James  M.  Leonard, 
J.  S.  Brown, 
0.  F.  Meyers, 
Miller, 


Geo. 


John  Porter, 
Daniel  S.  Porter, 
Phillip  Baker, 
Vincent  Carter, 
Caleb  Dunn, 
Edwin  Dunn, 
Alyett  Dunn, 
Charles  Averell, 
Edward  Averell, 
Jeremiah  Hewett, 
Porter  McKinstry, 
Noble  McKinstry, 
Andrew  Coleman, 
James  Coleman, 
George  McCosh, 
Anson  Rowe, 
Mrs.  Finch, 
Mary  Trucks, 
Mr.  Ackerman, 
Thorn, 


DEAD  AND  NON-RESIDENT. 


Coleman,  Foster,  Illinois, 
Coleman,  Jas.,  Sr.,  1852,* 
Coleman,  Robinson,  Illinois, 
Dwigging,  Robert,  1st,  CeJar  county, 
Dwiggins,  Robert,  2d,  Cedar  county, 
Dwiggin.«,J.,died  '5ti,  boiler  explosion,* 
Dwiggins,  Andrew,  Cedar  county, 
Dillon,  Timothy,* 
Dillon,  Thomas.* 
Dunn,  John  H.,* 
Donaldson,  A.  C,  California, 
Davis,  Garret,  Camden,  111., 
Dwiggins,  Calahan,  Cedar  county, 
Dwiggings,  James,  Cedar  county, 
Dillon,  Timothy,  Jr.,  drowned  1S41,* 
Eldridge,  William,  died  in  California, 
Eldridge,  Wm.  P.,  died  in  Texas, 
Eaeley,  Milington,  Wisconsin, 
Easley,  Franklin,  Wisconsin, 
Easley,  William,  California, 
Foy,  John,* 
Franks,  V.  B.,  1835,  Va.,  Port  Byron, 


Matteer,  George,  California, 

i\IcGranahen,  John,  Kansas, 

MoGranahan,  Augustus,  died  in  Cal., 

Norris,  Aaron  B.,  Council  Bluffs, 

NefF,  Robert,  St.  Louis, 

Perrin,  Frank,  New  Orleans, 

Pigman,  Muscatine  county, 

Pigman,  Jeff.,  Muscatine  county, 

Quinn,  John,  Ohio, 

Russell,  A.  F.,  Danville,  Pennsylvania, 

Robinson,  John,  killed,* 

Einglesby,  Lewis,  1855,* 

Ringwalt,  Samuel,  Downington,  Pa., 

Rowe,  S.  Dr.,  Lawrence,  Mich., 

Rowe,  Nelson,  Iowa  City, 

Ilinglesby,  John,  185.5,* 

Ringlesby,  H.,died  in  California  1858, 

Rowe,  William,* 

Rowe,  B.  F.,* 

Sheller,  John  S.,  Burlington, 

Shoemaker,  William  R.,  Fort  Riley, 

Shepherd,  S.  H.,  N.  Y., 


/                                                                                                                      ' 

208 

DAVENPORT 

Finley,  A.  W.,  1845*, 

Sibly,  David,  died  in  Wisconsin, 

Giilagher,  John,  Cedar  county,                Sherman,  Samuel,  drowned,*                        |  | 

Gano,  Aaron  C.,* 

Smith,  Capt.  M.,* 

Howell,  H.  S.,  Wisconsin 

Trux,  Abram,  1838,* 

Haywood,  Thomas, ^1850, 

^-                       Trux,  John,  1838, 

llawley,  E.,  Philadelphia 

,                         Whiting,  Seth  L  ,  Elmira,  New  York, 

Mills,  i.  K.,  Fort  Riley, 

Hallock,  Wm.,  Mt.  Pleasant, 

Davis,  Edward,  Pa., 

Briggs,  Ansel,  California, 

Davis,  Dan.,  Tipton, 

Reilly,  R.,  Pa., 

Ilallock,  J.  G.,  Mt.  Pleasant,                   Fipps,  Chas.,  Dubuque,                                   | 

Brown,  S.  S.,  New  York, 

Whiting,  Stephen,  California, 

Colt,  Geo.,  unknown, 

Knap,  Eph.,  Minnesota, 

Ennis,  John,  Philadelphia,                       Pierce,  Wm.,  Dubuque,                                   | 

Ennis,  Mr.,  Philadelphia, 

Wilson.  Dr.,  Wisconsin, 

Sutherland,  John,  St.  Louis,                    Hedges,  Samuel,*                                            | 

Chamberlain,  Wm.,* 

Hedges,  Wheeler,  Cincinnati, 

Finch,  A.,* 

Smith,  Lionel,* 

Wade,  Hampton,* 

Hedges,  Isaac,* 

Kelly,  Thomas,  Mexico, 

Smith,  John,* 

Lathrop,  L.,  drowned, 

Thorn,  Henry,* 

Warren,  Wilber,*^ 

8ETTLEE3  OP  1838. 

Andrew  Logan, 

John  Carver,                      George  W.  Fenno, 

Augustus  C.  Log.in, 

John  Shuck,                         Charles  Fenno, 

0.  C.  Logan, 

Obed  Donaldson,                 William  Fenno, 

Col.  John  D.  Evans, 

Sam'l.  Wyscowber,             Amos  Fenno, 

Cheeney  Munger, 

Benj.  Mathews,                    Adam  Donaldson, 

James  McGuire, 

James  Baker,                       Joseph  Elder, 

Joseph  C.  Quinn, 

William  Baker,                    Dennis  R.  Fuller, 

James  Quinn, 

James  Grant,                       Zenas  Blackman, 

Wm.  D.  Quinn, 

Levi  Moore,                          John  Willis, 

Alexander  Brownlee, 

Marion  Moore,                     Col.  Charles  Weston, 

James  Brownlee, 

Elias  Moore,                         George  C.  Havill, 

Winchester  Sherman, 

Samuel  Freeman,                Irad  Noble, 

John  W.  Wiley, 

Lemuel  White,                     James  T.  Carter, 

Sylvester  Wiley, 

John  White,                         Ebenezer  Carver, 

Joseph  Mounts, 

Nathan  Blackman,              Levi  Williams, 

Robert  Christie, 

John  K.  James,                    J.  W.  Williams, 

John  Rubey, 

Pat.  McGuire,                      John  Pope, 

Aug.  Pope, 

Abel  Pope, 

DEAD  iND  NON-RESIDENT. 

Barclay,  Samuel,  Jr.,  St. 

Paul,               Hutt,  Hiram,  Moline, 

Barclay,  Sam'l.,  Sr.,  1839,*      '               LeClaire,  Alexis,  1840,*                                 | 

Berryman,  J.  M.,  Ohio, 

Leech,  Capt.,* 

Bishop,  Stephen,  Canada, 

Moore,  Elias,* 

Burgess,  Kansas, 

Mitchell,  Jas.,  runaway, 

Burnell,  Abram,  1840,* 

Moss,  L.,  1842,* 

Cooper,  Hanry,  Dubuque, 

Mounts,  M  ,  1853,* 

Cooper,  Austin,  Dubuque 

,                      Mars,  Samuel,  Hlinois, 

-< ""                                                                             1 

Daily,  George,  Canton,  Iowa, 
Gill,  Elias,  Alton, 
Gill,  George,  died  1839, 
Hinckle,  Charles,  Galena, 
Higginson,  Samuel  P.,  Pekin, 
Hill,  Irad,  Michigan, 
Hoge,  David,  18-17,* 
Ilutt,  Abram,  DeVVitt, 
Parkhurst,  Sterling,* 
Peters,  A.  D.,  1845,* 
Parr,  Muscatine, 
Quinn,  Joseph  C,  Ohio, 
Conley,  T.  J. 
Dubois,  John,  New  York, 
Scott,  Jonah, 
White,  S.  H.  Moline, 
Bardwell,  0.,  Galena, 
Hale,  Asa,  Galena, 
LaPage,  Louis,  Illinois, 
Clark,  Wm.,  unknown, 
Meredith,  S.,* 


Noble,  Revile,  Minnesota, 
Noble,  George,  Minnesota, 
Noble,  * 

Nichols,  William,* 
Nichols,  F.  S.,  Australia, 
Parkei',  J.  M.,  Florence, 
Peters,  W.  H.,  Rhinfick,  New  York, 
Piersol,  John,  Camanche, 
Parkhurst,  E.,* 
Robertson,  John,  Illinois, 
Sullivan,  Lucien,  New  York, 
Wright,  Benjamin,  Sr.,* 
Warren,  Alphonse,  Minnesota, 
Swartout,  N.  Illinois, 
Krarger,  S.,* 

McCoy,  James  B.,  Mt.  Morris,  111., 
Conway,  W.  Wm.,* 
Courtney,  E.,  Dubuque, 
Patten,  Jackson,  California, 
Patten,  Thomas,  California, 
Walling,  Geo.,* 
Walling,  Wm.,* 


SETTLERS  OP  1839. 


John  Owens, 
John  Eldridge, 
James  Rumbold, 
B.  F.  Coates, 
Benj.  Coates,  Jr., 
William  Coates, 
N.  M.  Rambo, 
James  Thorington, 
John  Thorington, 
John  Morton, 
L.  J.  Center, 
James  McCosh, 
Samuel  Parker, 
J.  M.  Witherwax, 
R.  S.  Craig, 
Silas  Glaspell, 
Isaac  S.  Glaspell, 
Barton  Glaspell, 
Gabriel  McArthur, 
Robt.  Criswell, 
Moses  Parmalee, 
Henry  Parmalee, 
Walter  Parmalee, 


Ch 


John  Hixon  and  sons, 
Lewis  Burrows, 
David  Durrows, 
Christian  Cober, 
Leonard  Cooper, 
H.  S.  Finley, 
Horace  Bradley, 
James  Lindsey,    ■ 
I.  T.  Lindsey, 
A.  A.  Lindsey, 
A.  H,  Owens, 
Wm.  S.  Collins, 
George  E.  W.  Hoge, 
Israel  Hall, 
John  Carroll,  and  moth 
Wm.  Carroll, 
D.  B.  Shaw, 
John  Leamen, 
J.  H.  Morton, 
Coonrad  Reed, 
Edwin  Parmal.ee, 
Wm.  Pairaalee, 
James  Parmalee, 
arles  Lesslie,  Laurel 


George  F.  Hall, 

VVilliam  Inslee, 

Roderick  Center, 

Joshua  Maw, 

Wm.  Newby, 

llobt.  Nev7by, 

Nathan  Newby, 

E.  A.  Evans, 

John  Trucks, 

Abram  Trucks. 

William  Lovel, 

Michael  Cooper, 

Raphael  Cooper, 

Michael  Grace, 
er,  James  Hale, 

Osmar  S.  McKown, 

Alibone  Morton, 

Wm.  Todd, 

Volney  Warren, 

Edward  Buruell, 

John  Friday, 

Montgomery  Thompson, 

Chtrles  Metteer, 
Sumners, 


DEAD  AND  NON-RESIDENT. 


f 


Arbell,  Frederick,  1842,* 
Brown,  Judson,  Port  Byron, 

27 


Little,  Jas.,  New  Orleans, 
McLot,  John  N.,  1850,* 


210 


DAVENPORT 


Brown,  William,  1816,* 

Buck,  Beujamin,  drowned,* 

Coleman,  Charles,  1848,* 

Downer,  Erastus,  Illinois, 

Elder,  C,  drowned  1846,* 

Fisher,  Samuel,  Philadelphia, 

Fisher,  John,  San  Francisco, 

Fisher,  James,  Miniapolis, 

Fitzpatrick,  E.,  Dubuque, 

Foster,  Asa,* 

Glaspel,  Jas.,  Sr.,  died  1847, 

Glaspel,    Enos,* 

Glaspel,  Jas.,  Jr.,* 

Gates,  drowned,* 

Wetmore,  Wm.,  Ky., 

Hoge,  Thomas  S.,  New  York, 

Holbrook,  Rev,  J.  C.  Dubuque, 

Belkin,  Henry,* 

Churchill,  Chis.,  Illinois, 

Boyington,  Dr., 

Coody,  Dr., 

Tattle,  Calvin,  Wisconsin, 

Squires,  John,  N.  Y., 


Hunger,  W.,  Chicago, 
Nye,  died  1840,* 
Owens,  John,  Jr.,  Illinois, 
Owens,  Jas.,  Illinois,* 
Perrin,  Aaron,  California, 
Perrin,  John,  California, 
Perrin,  Isaac,  California, 
Perrin,  Theodore,  1845,* 
Riddle,  H.  B.,  died  1856,* 
Sherman,  Abel,  Alabama, 
Sherman,  Luke,  New  York, 
Sherman,  Samuel,* 
Smith,  M.  Capt.,  drowned, 
Sloper,  Samuel,* 
Snoir,  Jarcd,* 
Thorington,  J  no.,  Sr.,* 
Shays,  John,  Ohio, 
Squires,  Isaac,  St.  Louis, 
Moran,  Wm., 
West,  Narcisse  Yarten, 
Kingsly,  Joseph,  Pa., 
Taylor,  Reese,  Maquoketa, 
Taylor,  Peter,  Kansas, 


SETTLERS  OF  1840. 


R.  M.  Prettyman, 
Alfred  Sanders, 
David  McKown, 
Gilbert  McKown, 
Stephen  Schoolfield, 
S.  Burnell, 
Dr.  Hiram  Brown, 
Dr.  Cyrus  G.  Blood, 
David  Buckwalter, 
Henry    Buchneau, 

M.  G.  McLoskey 


Wm.  Briggs, 

L.  Walling  and  brother, 

G.  Tapley, 

Andrew  Doyle, 

Andrew  J.  Lawes, 

Thomas  Kerns, 

W.  W.  McCammon, 

Alex.  AYells, 

Joseph  Gaymon, 

Yital  Bucheau 


David  Ilawley, 


Bartholemew  Wells, 

Peter  Trainer, 

Michael  AIcNemara, 

Gibbon, 

Wm.  H.  Gayle, 

Johnson, 

Sam'l.  Stevens, 

Thomas  Wood,  Sen., 

A. A.  McLoskey, 

John  Letting, 


BIED  AND    NON-RESIDENT. 


Armitage,  J.,  Canada, 

Buckwalter,  Joseph,  1854,* 

Buckwalter,  Daniel,  1847,* 

Baker,  Morris,* 

Bronson,* 

Bardwell,  Doct.,  Linn  county,  Pa., 

Brophy,* 

Clark,  Doct.,  California, 

Cark,  Dennas,  Wisconsin, 

Chin,  Richard,  St.  Louis, 


Gafney,  Barney,  1840,* 
Grover,  Erastus,  Massachusetts, 
Guyer,  Samuels,  Ohio, 
Howard,  M.,  1843,* 
Hogan,  Patrick,  1856,* 
Kelly,  Thomas,  Louisiana, 
McClosky,  Robert  J.,  1848, 
Moyer,  Albert,  Pennsylvania, 
McGranahan,  Geo.,  Kansas, 
Nichols,  John,  St.  Louis, 


PAST  ^ND  PRESENT.  211 


Coleman,  Finley,  Illinois,  Leonard,  Sam'l.,    LeClaire, 

Wood,  Thomas,  Jr.,  111.,  Grover,  N.  B., 

Criswell,  Robert,  LeClaire,  Tapley,  G.  Linn,  Mass., 

Nichols,  Wm.,  1852,* 

Appropriate  and  pertinent  to  the  Biographies,  are  the  proceedings  of  the 
Pioneer  Settlers  AssociAnox  of  Scott  Codntt,  and  their  First  Annual 
Festival,  held  on  Monday  evening  of  February  2 2d,  at  the  Burtis  House,  in 
the  city  of  Davenport, 

At  a  meeting  of  old  settlers  of  Scott  county,  who  became  residents  prior  to 
December  31,  1840,  held  in  LeClaire  Hall,  Davenport,  pursuant  to  a  notice  in 
the  daily  papers,  on  the  evening  of  Saturday,  January  23,  1858,  some  sixty 
persons  were  assembled.  The  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  Duncan  C 
Eldridge,  Esq.,  whereupon  Ebenezer  Cook,  Esq.,  was  elected  Chairman,  and 
John  Coffin,  Secretary,  of  the  meeting. 

The  Chairman,  on  taking  his  seat,  expressed,  with  a  few  happy  remarks,  the 
pleasure  which  it  gave  him  to  meet  so  many  of  his  old  friends  on  this  occasion, 
and  alluded  to  the  warm  interest  he  had  always  felt  in  those  who  had  stood 
side  by  side  with  him  in  the  hardships  and  struggles  incident  to  the  early  set- 
tlement of  this  county.  He  said,  "  that  if  there  was  anything  of  good  about 
him,  if  he  had  ever  been  of  any  service  to  this  community,  and  in  fact  for  all 
he  was  at  this  day,  he  felt  himself  indebted  to  the  early  settlers  of  this  county, 
who  had  always  stood  by  him  ;  that  he  had  always  been  willing  to  divide  the 
last  crust  of  bread  with  any  one  of  them  that  needed,  and  he  prayed  to  God, 
that  as  long  as  he  lived,  he  might  be  disposed  to  divide  with  them  the  last 
shirt  on  his  back,  if  any  one  of  them  required  it." 

On  motion  of  James  Mcintosh,  Esq.,  a  Committee  of  five  was  appointed  by 
the  Chair  to  draft  a  Preamble  and  Resolutions  for  organizing  the  Association. 

The  Chair  appointed  James  Mcintosh,  Willard  Barrows,  John  F.  Dillon,  D. 
C.  Eldridge,  and  Edward  Ricker,  Esquires,  said  Committee. 

While  the  Committee  was  absent,  the  meeting  was  entertained  by  Wm. 
McCammon,  Esq.,  and  by  the  Hon.  John  P.  Cook. 

The  Committee  then  presented  the  following  Preamble  and  Resolutions, 
which  were  unanimously  adopted: 

Whereas,  it  was  our  destiny,  as  American  citizens,  excited  by  a  spirit  of 
laudable  enterprise,  to  be  the  pioneers  in  the  settlement  of  this  fair  and  fertile 
section  of  our  State  :  and,  whereas,  it  seems  desirable  that  we  should  perpet- 
uate the  memory  of  that  settlement,  and  from  time  to  time  recall  the  history 
of  the  past,  so  rich  in  incident  of  great  and  varied  interest,  therefore,  be  it — 

Resolved,  That  all  those  who  became  residents  of  the  Territory,  now  known 
as  Scott  county,  in  Iowa,  prior  to  December  31,  1840,  form  themselves  into  a 
society,  the  object  of  which  shall  be  to  extend  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  to 
all  those  who  have  lived  through  the  honorable  conflict  of  the  past  to  share 
and  enjoy  the  prosperity  of  the  present,  and  to  interchange  congratulations. 


that  their  early  struggles  and  hardships  have  resulted  in  a  growth  and  devel- 
opment almost  without  a  parallel. 

Resolved,     That  this  Associatioe  be  known  by  the  name  of 

Resolved.,  That  its  officers  shall  consist  of  a  President,  ten  Vice  Presidents, 
a  Secretary  and  Treasurer;  and  an  Executive  Committee  of  five  members,  said 
committee  to  be  appointed  by  the  President. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  three  members  be  appointed  by  the  Chair,  to 
draft  a  Constitution  and  By-Laws  to  be  submitted  for  adoption  at  the  next 
meeting. 

Resolved,     That  a  committee  of  five  members  be  appointed  to  make  arrange- 
ments for  a  festival  to  be  held  in  this  city,  on  the  22d  day  of  February,  1858. 
Resolved,     That  tickets  of  invitation  be  sent  to  all  "Pioneer  Settlers"  who 
have  since  become  non-residents  of  this  county. 

Considerable  discussion  on  the  subject  of  a  name,  and  the  word  "  Pioneer," 
having  to  the  raids  of  many  present  a  sacredness  in  this  connection,  it  was 
moved  by  the  Hon.  Jno.  P.  Cook,  and  voted,  that  the  blank  bo  filled,  so  that 
the  resolution  as  framed,  stands  thus  : 

Resolved,  That  this  Association  be  known  by  the  name  of  "  The  Pioneer 
Settlers'  Association  of  Scott  county." 

The  chair  appointed  Judge  Weston,  Jno.  F.  Dillon,  and  C.  C.  Alvord, 
Esquires,  committee  on  Constitution  and  By-Laws;  and  appointed  Willard 
Bairows  A.  H.  Owens,  James  Mcintosh,  Geo.  L.  Davenport,  and  D.  C.  Eldridge, 
Esquires,  a  committee  on  the  festival. 

The  Association  then  proceeded  to  elect  its  first  ofBcers,  which  resulted  in 
the  choice  of  the  following  named  gentlemen  : 

ANTOINE  LeCLAIRE,  President. 
Ebenezer  Cook,  Esq.,  "] 

Duncan  C.  Eldridge,  Esq., 
Willard  Barrows,  Esq., 
John  Owens,  Esq., 

Robert  Christie,  Esq.,  \      Vice  Presidents. 

Jabez  A.  Burchard,  Esq., 
Adrian  H.  Davenport,  Esq., 
Alexander  Brownlee,  Esq., 
LeRoy  Dodge,  Esq.,  J 

Dr.  E.  S.  Barrows,  Corresponding  Secretary. 
John  L.  Coffin,  Recording  Secretary. 
Geo.  B.  Sargent,  Esq.,  Treasurer. 
John  L.  Coffin,  Secretary. 

Tickets  having  been  issued,  including  Old  Settlers,  Press,  Clergy,  and 
Author  and  Publishers  of  "  Davenport  Past  and  Present,"  there  was  on  Mon- 
day night  of  the  22nd  of  February,  a  crowded  assemblage  in  the  magnificent 
Halls  and  Parlors  of  the  "  Burtis  House."  A  happier  crowd,  and  one  whose 
sympathies  and  affections  were  so  freely  and  harmoniously  developed,  never, 
perhaps,  assembled  in  such  numbers.  Formality,  caste,  old  feuds,  dislikes, 
and  all  unkindnesses,  were  merged,  and  disappeared  in  the  joyous  friendliness 


PAST  AND  PKESENT.  213 


that  filled  each  heart — lips  were  wreathed  in  smiles,  white  locks  were  haloed 
with  the  sunshine  of  the  occasion — hard,  stern  features,  that  for  years  had 
scowled  upon  life's  difficulties,  lost  their  rigidity,  and  reflected  only  happiness. 
It  was  more,  in  all  respects,  like  an  assembling  of  loving  brothers  around  the 
household  hearth  after  long  years  of  separation — there  was  the  same  cordial 
warmth  of  greeting,  the  same  a3"ectionate  enquiries,  and  the  same  happy  yield- 
ing to  the  spirit  of  the  occasion.  INot  less,  perhaps,  than  eight  hundred  were 
present — the  oldest  of  whom  was  Mr.  Elihu  Alvord,  who  had  attained  the  ripe 
old  age  of  eighty-three. 

The  assembly  was  called  to  order  by  Ebenezer  Cook,  Esq.,  and  the  President^ 
Antoine  LeClaike,  took  his  seat.  After  the  Davenport  Brass  Band  had  dis- 
coursed a  fine  piece  of  music,  a  cane  presentation  took  place.  The  cane  was 
of  native  hickory,  mounted  with  a  costly  gold  head,  upon  which  was  engraved 
— "Pioneer  Settlers'  Association  of  Scott  county,  organized  January,  1858." 
On  the  lower  part  of  the  head  was  engraved  the  name  of  the  first  President, 
Antoine  LeClaire,  with  space  for  the  name  of  all  succeeding  ones — as  the  cane 
is  to  be  handed  down  from  President  to  President  until  the  last  Old  Settler  has 
departed  to  another  life.  The  presentation  was  made  by  John  F.  Dillon,  ac- 
companied by  a  short  speech  in  his  felicitous  and  poetical  style.     He  said — 

Mr.  President: — I  am  charged  with  the  grateful  duty  of  presenting  you 
with  this  insignia  of  your  office.  You,  who  were  the  first  to  pioneer  the  way 
to  this  lovely  spot,  lovelier  and  richer  than  the  land  "  flowing  with  milk  and 
honey."  You,  who  have  used  the  wealth  it  has  been  your  good  fortune  to 
acquii'e,  in  constant  endeavors  to  promote  the  growth  fc,nd  advance  the  inter- 
ests of  our  city  and  country — you,  who  are  confessed  first  in  the  esteem  of 
all  old  pioneers,  have  been  unanimously  elected  our  first  President.  Happy 
are  we,  that  your  life  has  been  bounteously  lengthened  out  to  behold  this  night. 
Happy  that  we  are  able  to  bestow  upon  you  this  testimonial  of  our  regard. 

What  endeared  recollections,  and  thronging  visions  this  occasion  mixst  call 
up  and  inspire"!  Who  would  not  fondly  "give  the  hope  of  years"  to  enjoy  the 
satisfaction  and  delight  that  must  to-night  be  yours  !  A  thousand  incidents 
strike  the  electric  chain  of  memory,  and  in  the  light  of  its  corruscations  the 
past  comes  back  again,  and  glows  vividly  before  you  !  How  pleasant,  at 
times,  to  retouch  memories  that  are  being  moss-grown,  to  retint  the  fast  fading 
pictures  of  life ! 

The  changes  you  have  seen,  how  astonishing!  The  like  whereof  will  be 
sought  for  in  vain,  in  the  realities  of  history,  and  in  the  dreams  of  poetry. 

Since  the  world  began,  it  has  never  in  any  age  or  country  exhibited  a 
growth  so  solid,  and  a  development  so  amazing  as  that  which  you  yourself 
have  witnessed.  So  rapid  and  thorough  is  the  progress  of  improvement,  that 
the  memorials  of  our  early  settlement  are  fast  passing  away.  Scarcely  a 
trace  or  vestige  of  the  primitive  log-cabin  remains  ;  and  the  inquiry  might  be 
pertinently  raised,  not  "  have  we  a  Bourbon,"  but  "  have  we  a  log-cabin 
among  us  ?"     These  have  been  succeeded  by  comfortable  and  elegant  dwel- 


214  DAVENPORT 


lings — but  Tvliy  specify  changes  when  specification  were  endless.  All,  all  is 
changed,  save  the  unchanging  sky  above  us,  and  the  changeless  river  that 
rolls  by  us  ;  magnificent  river  ! 

"  Time  writes  no  wrinUles  on  thine  azure  brow, 

and  without  avouching  its  geological  accuracy  let  me  add — 

Suoli  as  creation's  dawn  beheld  thou  rollest  now." 

now  often  in  the  quiet  watches  of  the  night,  when  I  have  beheld  the  glory 
of  the  one,  reflected  in  and  increased  by  that  of  the  other,  has  my  heart  melted 
with  gratitude,  that  aspiring  mau  could  not  reacli  the  heavens  to  cover  them 
with  signs  and  placards,  or  mar  the  beauty  of  earth's  glorious  water  courses. 
Especially  have  you  observed,  sir,  with  intense  interest,  the  growth  of  our  fair 
and  proud  young  city. 

This  interest  has  no*  been  the  indiiferent  interest  of  a  mere  spectator,  but 
with  you  it  has  partaken  of  a  warmer  nature ;  it  has  claimed  kindred  with  a 
paternal  solicitude,  and  without  demur  has  had  its  claim  allowed. 

Our  feeble  infancy — our  slow  growth — our  precarious  situation — our 
gloomy  prospects  awakened  for  awhile  the  most  tender  concern  and  anxious 
forebodings.  These  dark  daya  happily  have  passed  away,  we  trust,  to  return 
never  more;  and  Davenport  to-day,  in  size  and  beauty,  stands  peerless  among 
rivals, — the  "  Queen  City"  of  Iowa.  Well  may  we  rejoice  to-night  with  you, 
in  the  triumphs  of  a  faith  in  our  destiny,  that  has  suifered  all  things,  endured 
all  things,  hoped  all  things  even  unto  the  end.  But  these  exultant  feelings, 
and  grateful  reflections  come  to  us  mingled,  and  tinged,  and  softened,  and 
subdued  with  those  of  a  sadder  nature.  While  we  have  been  busy,  time  and 
death  have  not  been  idle. 

r>ut  I  may  not  further  indulge  in  reflections  that  crowd  for  utterance,  save 
to  say,  that  this  cane,  made  from  a  stick  of  native  growth,  and  skilfully 
fashioned  by  the  hand  of  a  member  of  our  Association,  is  the  distinctive,  and 
we  think  fitting  and  appropriate  badge  of  your  otTice.  As  such,  it  is  intended 
to  bo  preserved  with  jealous  care,  and  to  be  transmitted  successively  from 
President  to  President,  until  our  Society  shall  be  no  more  ! 

Ou  it  will  bo  found  engraved  your  own  name — the  name  of  our  Association, 
and  the  date  of  its  organization. 

It  affords  me  unfeigned  pleasui'e,  sir,  in  behalf  of  the  "Pioneer  Settlers'  As- 
sociation of  Scott  county,"  to  present  this  ensign  pf  office  and  honor  to  you 
— i\iQ  first  President,  wondering,  who,  of  those  present,  shall  enjoy  the  envi- 
able, yet  melancholy  distinction  of  being  the  last. 

This  effort  was  highly  applauded,  after  which  the  President,  through  E. 
Cook,  Esq.,  responded  as  follows  : 

"Mr.  Dillon: — I  receive  this  cane,  the  ensignia  of  my  office,  as  President 
of  the  "Pioneer  Settlers'  Association  of  Scott  County,"  with  great  pleasure, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  215 


not  alone  because  I  shall  take  pride  in  its  exhibition,  not  alone  because  of  its 
beautiful  and  skilful  workmanship,  not  alone  for  tbe  very  flattering  remarks 
attendant  upon  its  presentation,  either  of  which  causes  would  justify  the  feel- 
ing, but  chiefly  because  it  is,  and  is  intended  by  the  Association  as  a  tangible, 
memento  of  the  past,  and  of  the  early  history  of  the  settlement  of  our  country, 
to  be  handed  down,  I  trust,  to  future  generations,  to  be  jjreserved  for  all  time  ; 
to  be  exhibited  to  thousands  upon  thousands  of  our  descendents  yet  unborn, 
as  having  been  designed,  made,  and  handled  by  their  forefathers,  the  first  set- 
tlers of  Scott  county. 

With  this  cane,  shall  go  down,  I  trust,  the  records  of  our  Association,  and  if 
the  members  are  faithful,  and  furnish,  as  required  by  the  Constitution,  the 
leading  incidents  of  their  lives,  connected  with  their  settlement  and  habitation 
in  this  county,  to  be  placed  upon  the  records,  how  interesting  to  those  who 
come  after  us  will  be  this  cane,  as  a  tangible  memorial  of  their  forefathers, 
long  since  crumbled  into  the  dust  from  which  they  came,  and  whose  history, 
to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  is  written  in  the  records  before  them. 

Methinks,  as  I  look  into  the  far,  far  future,  I  see  within  the  limits  of  our 
count}',  a  noble  Building,  dedicated  to  some  noble  Public  objects,  and  there, 
in  some  suitable  and  proper  place,  are  deposited  the  records  and  testimonials 
of  this  Association.  Within  its  walls  is  a  living  crowd,  pressing  forward, 
eager  to  see  and  persue  the  record,  to  see  and  touch  the  memorials  handed 
down  with  it,  and  I  hear  them  say,  "These  were  sent  down  to  us  from  our 
forefathers — here  is  written  a  history  of  the  first  settlement  of  this  beautiful 
land,  of  the  trials  and  hardships  endured,  and  of  the  triumphs  won  by  them. 
Let  them  be  preserved  forever." 

Ladies  and  gentlemen,  members  of  this  Association,  let  me  charge  upon  you 
that  you  impress  upon  your  children,  and  cliildrens'  children,  that  they  hold 
it  as  a  sacred  duty,  when  we  shall  all  have  passed  away  from  earth,  to  pre- 
serve, intact,  the  records  and  memorials  of  our  Association,  and  to  transmit 
them  unimpaired  to  future  generations- 

You  have  been  pleased,  sir,  to  allude  in  very  flattering  terms  to  me,  per- 
sonally. If  I  have,  in  the  course  of  a  long  life  spent  here,  entitled  myself  to, 
and  won  the  respect  of  my  fellow  men,  particularly  the  Old  Settlers  of  the 
county,  I  am  amply  repaid  for  any  and  all  exertions  I  may  have  been  able  to 
make  to  aid  in  advancing  the  interests  and  prosperity  of  our  beloved  city  and 
county. 

If  I  have  acquired  wealth,  it  is  to  the  settlement  of  the  country  that  I  am 
indebted  for  it,  for  of  what  value  would  have  been  the  land  on  which  this  city 
and  the  city  of  LeCIaire  is  built,  except  from  the  fact  that  you,  gentlemen,  of* 
this  Association,  settled  upon  and  improved  the  lands  of  the  county,  and 
thereby  enabled  us  to  built  up  a  city  ?  So  that,  gentlemen,  we  see  that  we  are 
dependent,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  upon  one  another,  and  when  we  so  act 
as  to  confer  a  benefit  upon  the  community,  we  really  are  benefitting  ourselves. 


216  DAVENPORT 


The  Association  has  been  pleased  to  elect  mo  their  fi  st  President.  I  take 
this,  the  first  opportunity  afforded  afforded  me  to  return  my  sincere  and  heart- 
felt thanks  for  this  expression  of  confidence  and  respect.  The  object  and  aim 
.  of  this  organization  is  so  eminently  and  apparently  proper,  that  it  is  needless 
for  me  here  to  advert  to  it,  other  than  to  say  that  I  am  rejoiced  that  the  step 
has  been  taken,  and  that  there  is  the  interest  manifested  in  the  subject  that  is 
apparent  here  to-night,  and  I  trust  that  interest  will  be  kept  up  and  main- 
tained by  every  member  so  long  as  he  shall  live. 

This  cane,  made  as  you  say,  from  a  stick  of  native  growth,  is  a  fit  and 
proper  emblem  of  the  ofiBce  for  which  it  is  designed,  for  in  the  ordinary  course 
of  things  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  your  Presidents  will  be  men  advanced  in 
years,  who  will  require  its  aid  and  support.  It  is,  too,  a  fit  and  proper  em- 
blem, as  it  will  remind  your  future  Presidents  that  their  predecessors  who 
have  leaned  upon  it  for  support,  have  passed  down  the  vale  of  time  into 
eternity,  whither  they  must  soon  follow,  and  surrender  it  again  to  aid  and  sup- 
port some  other  aged  man  down  the  s.ame  path,  until,  at  last,  the  last  man  of 
your  Association  shall  grasp  it,  and  in  the  performance  of  his  sad  duty,  pro- 
vide for  it,  and  other  memorials,  a  place  of  deposit,  which  we  trust  shall  be 
kept  sacred  forever." 

"  After  the  ceremony  of  the  Cane  Presentation  was  concluded,  the  "  First 
Annual  Address"  was  delivered  by  Hon.  John  P.  Cook.  It  is  a  splendid  pro- 
duction, aud  presents  in  its  combinations  the  finest  blending  of  philosophyi 
humor,  wit,  and  pathos,  that  ever  was  delivered  in  Davenport.  We  give  it 
entire,  although  it  lacks  the  forcible  expression,  easy  emphasis,  and  generally 
graceful  oratory  of  the  speaker  : 

*'  Mr.  President,  and  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 

Through  the  politeness  of  the  committee  appointed  to  arrange  for  this  occa- 
sion, it  has  befallen  to  my  lot  to  address  your  association,  on  this  the  first 
festival  of  the  Pioneers  of  Scott  County. 

The  interest  manifested  in  this  organization,  this  large  assembly,  and  the 
familiar  nod  of  recognition  passing  from  one  to  another,  attest  the  perfect  hap- 
piness we  all  feel  in  this  union,  made  genial  by  the  hardships  of  the  past,  the 
joy  of  the  present,  and  hopes  for  the  future. 

In  the  West  such  a  society  is  neither  new  nor  uncommon.  The  first  set- 
tlers of  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  and  of  many  of  the  older  counties  in  our  own 
beautiful  Iowa,  have  been  drawn  together  by  that  fraternal  regard  which  is 
always  warm  in  the  honest  heart  of  an  "  old  pioneer." 

If,  in  the  excitement  of  business,  and  the  duties  of  life,  we  have  hitherto 
neglected  to  come  together,  as  the  pioneers  of  Scott  county,  the  greater  reason 
BOW  exists,  that  we  should  nourish  this  infant  association,  and  make  it  pro- 
motive of  every  good  and  noble  sympathy  of  the  heart. 

Our  organization  is  now  complete,  our  names  are  enrolled,  and  with  the  ex- 
ception of  absentees,  and  such   as  have   not  yet  joined,  although  entitled  to 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  217 


membership,  our  ranks  are  full,  and  under  our  constitution  there  can  be  no 
accession  to  our  number,  other  than  exceptions  named.  With  a  just  appre- 
ciation of  the  memory  of  the  dead,  you  have  procured  the  names  of  those  who 
settled  in  this  county  prior  to  1840,  but  who  now  no  longer  live,  so  that  your 
records  will  perpetuate  their  names,  who  have  "acted  well  their  part,"  and 
now  sleep  beneath  the  cold  clods  of  the  valley,  as  ours,  who  have  survived  to 
consummate  this  organization.  In  thus  recordin;?  the  names  of  the  dead,  who 
were  our  companions  in  frontier  life,  we  but  open  a  record  that  will  soon  con- 
tain the  names  of  all  who  now  stand  recorded  as  livinrj  members  of  this  asso- 
ciation. 

One  by  one  we  shall  pass  away,  and  at  each  returning  festival  some 
familiar  face  will  be  missed  at  the  board,  some  chair  will  be  vacant,  and  the 
record  of  the  living  will  be  shortened  to  lengthen  the  record  of  the  dead, 
while  the  void  in  our  ranks  can  never,  never  be  filled. 

As  years  roll  on,  those  of  us  who  may  be  living  at  the  end  of  the  first  de- 
cade, will  realize  the  fearful  work  of  death  among  us. 

A  little  longer,  yet  a  little  longer,  and  a  score  of  years  shall  have  passed 
away,  leaving  but  a  few  to  cherish  the  memory  of  the  departed,  and  to  cling 
closely,  ah !  how  closely,  to  each  other. 

Who  shall  presume  to  lift  the  veil,  and  name  the  pioneer  who  will  then 
answer  to  the  Secretary's  roll  call  ? 

A  little  longer,  and  still  a  little  longer,  and  the  youngest  among  us  will  have 
reached  his  three  score  years  and  ten,  and  no  one  may  know,  until  time  un- 
folds the  eternal  decree,  who  of  our  number  will  be  the  last  survivor  of  the 
pioneers  of  Scott  county  ! 

While  we  may  not  penetrate  the  dim  future,  nor  name  those  who  shall  hold 
the  last  meeting,  keep  the  last  festival — though,  alas  !  more  solemn  than  festive 
it  will  be — and  perform  the  last  rites,  ere  this  association  ceases  to  exist,  yet 
we  may  imagine  its  closing  scenes,  and  admonish  one  another  to  prove  faith- 
ful and  true  till  the  last  one  shall  have  passed  from  earth. 

You  have  procured  a  cane,  and  have  had  inscribed  thereon,  "  Pioneer  Set- 
tlers' Association,  organized  January,  1858,  Scott  County,  Iowa,"  and  pre- 
sented it  to  your  President,  with  instructions  that  it  be  handed  down  to  his 
last  successor  in  ofBce.  That  successor  lives,  and  if  not  here  with  us  to-day 
in.  propria  persona,  he  is  with  us  in  spirit,  and  in  well  wishes,  and  is  destined 
to  officiate  at  the  last  act  of  your  association. 

For  a  moment  give  free  scope  to  the  imagination,  and  go  with  me  to  a  period 
thirty,  forty,  perhaps  fifty  years  hence,  and  behold  here  a  city  of  two  hundred 
thousand  inhabitants,  all  eager  to  act  their  part  in  the  business  of  life,  run- 
ning  hither  and  thither,  jostling  each  other  in  the  crowd,  some  seeking  the 
profits  of  commerce,  some  collecting  the  news  of  the  day,  some  chasing 
pleasure,  some  bent  on  mischief,  some  bound  for  the  station  house  of  a  bal- 
loon about  to  be  wafted  across  the  continent  with  a  full  load  of  human  beings, 
who  expect  to   dine  in  New  York  on  the  same  day,  some  about  to  seat  them- 

28 


selves  in  the  cars  of  .an  atmospheric  railway,  advertised  to  go  through  to  the 
seaboard  in  two  Lours,  without  change  of  cars,  and  amid  the  confusion,  splen- 
dor and  enterprise,  let  us,  on  the  22d  day  of  that  February,  enter  the  spacious 
building  on  Twenty-Fifth  street,  and  see  congregated  the  last  of  the  Scott 
county  pioneers.  There  sits  the  President,  surrounded  by  the  survivors, 
numbering  five,  perhaps  more,  faithful  hearts,  whose  whitened  locks,  and 
trembling  limbs,  denote  them  children  of  a  century,  past  and  gone. 

They  are  looking  back  over  the  lost  years,  and  with  vivid  recollections  of 
the  early  history  of  our  own  country,  are  recounting  many  of  the  hardships 
and  incidents  of  frontier  life  ;  they  recall  the  first  festival  of  the  association, 
and  mention  the  names,  and  drop  tears  to  the  memory  of  many  assembled  here 
to-day  ;  they  have  before  them  the  record  of  the  association,  and  it  tells  of 
your  annual  meetings  and  festivals — your  official  doings — the  names  of  your 
officers — andit  faithfully  preserves  the  history  of  many  incidents  in  the  ex- 
istence of  your  association. 

Some  venerable  patriarch  selected  from  that  little  band  delivers  the  annual 
address,  and  ho  wants  not  matters  of  interest,  appropriate  to  the  occasion,  to 
talk  about,  and  with  which  to  hold  the  attention  of  his  hearers. 

With  a  faithful  and  vivid  recollection  of  early  times,  and  early  associations, 
he  pictures  the  past,  and  compares  it  with  the  realities  about  him,  until 

"  Fond  memory  brings  tho  light 
Of  other  days  around  them.'' 

Is  that  the  last  festival  ?  Another  year  rolls  around,  and  that  cane  supports 
the  aged  frame  of  the  President  to  the  Festive  Hall,  where  he  meets 
friends  young  and  old  ;  but  one.  a  solitary  one  shall  grasp  his  hand,  and  ex- 
claim— 

"  We  two  alone  remain,  tho  rest  are  gone,  all  gone  I" 

In  the  ordinary  course  of  nature,  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  the 
younger  members  of  the  association  will  be  among  the  last  survivors  of  our 
number,  and  upon  them  will  fall  the  duty  of  closing  our  records,  and  pro- 
viding a  depository  for  everything  pertaining  to  the  association. 

Young  man!  that  duty  may  be  yours;  act  well  your  part  through  life,  that 
we  may  have  a  worthy  representative  in  closing  an  association  so  auspiciously 
commenced. 

Teach  your  children  to  venerate  the  land  they  are  to  inhabit,  and  impress 
upon  them  the  duty  they  owe  to  their  native  home,  and  their  pioneer  fore- 
fathers. 

Leave  to  them  as  a  rich  legacy  the  pleasing  duty  of  providing  a  fitting  re- 
ceptacle for  the  records  and  meiuorials  of  the  association,  that  they,  and  their 
children's  children,  may  ever  find  a  faithful  history  of  the  early  pioneers,  and 
of  the  settlement  of  the  country. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  '  219 


Admonish  them,  that  when  the  spirit  of  the  last  one  of  us  takes  its  flight 
from  earthly  scenes — the  sad  and  interesting  duty  will  devolve  r.pon  them,  to 
follow  the  remains  to  their  last  resting  place  ;  to  perform  the  closing  scenes  in 
our  history,  and  to  write  the  last  chapter  of  our  record. 

To  the  minds  of  some,  such  an  association  may  seem  of  small  importance 
and  doubtful  existence;  but  I  doubt  whether  a  society  could  be  organized  in 
the  West  with  stronger  ties  of  friendship  and  sympathy  than  one  will  find 
among  the  "  Old  Settlers." 

We  have  all  had  our  strifes,  our  political,  local,  and  social  disagreements, 
and  shall  doubtless  continue  to  have  them";  but  they  are  soon  forgiven  and 
forgotten,  and  we  turn  to  the  bright  side  of  the  picture,  and  call  to  mind  the 
early  scenes  in  our  settlement  here,  while  the  generous  promptings  of  the 
heart  bind  us  more  closely  together. 

There  is  no  period  in  man's  life  at  which  he  is  not  more  or  less  dependent 
upon  his  fellow  man,  and  the  experience  of  every  day  admonishes  us  that  wo 
should  cultivate  the  christian  virtues  and  neighborly  kindness — and  while  we 
should  manifest  these  towards  all  who  come  in  contact  with  us,  they  are 
doubly  due  to  those  who  shared  our  early  toils  and  privations,  and  have  ever 
been  ready  to  lend  a  helping  hand  to  the  "Old  Settlers." 

The  history  of  the  early  settlement  of  Scott  county  is  replete  with  interest- 
ing incidents,  and  to  those  of  us  who  first  "  squatted"  and  located  our  claima 
upon  "  Uncle  Sam's"  land,  it  is  a  satisfaction  to  look  back  to  that  period,  and 
compare  Scott  county  then  with  Scott  county  now.  No  one  here  to-day  can 
claim  a  settlement  anterior  to  that  of  our  worthy  President,  and  certainly  no 
one  has  done  more  than  he  in  aiding  and  encouraging  the  first  settlers  ;  and  I 
may  be  permitted  thus  publicly  to  record  the  humble  acknowledgments  of  my 
father's  family  to  him,  who  was  the  first  to  extend  his  hand,  to  offer  hospi- 
tality, and  to  welcome  us  to  our  prairie  home.  I  was  but  a  boy  then,  yet  how 
well  do  I  remember  the  scene  when  I  landed  one  bright  May  morning  in  1836, 
within  four  squares  of  the  spot  where  we  are  now  assembled. 

The  ground  upon  which  "mine  host"  of  the  Burtis  House  has  erected  this 
spacious  hotel,  was  a  corn  field,  and  two  cabins  below  Main  street  constituted 
the  improvements  of  the  embryo  "  City  of  Davenport ;"  some  half  a  dozen 
houses  across  the  river  in  the  then  village  of  Stephenson  marked  the  spot 
where  now  stands  our  twin  sister  city. 

The  booming  of  the  morning  gun  from  Fort  Armstrong  warned  the  red  man 
that  Uncle  Sam's  troops  were  in  possession  of  their  island  home,  and  assured 
the  pioneer  of  protection  and  safety.  The  daily  movements  of  noble  steamers 
upon  the  bosom  of  our  majestic  river  told  us  that  the  way  was  opened  to  im- 
migration ;  while  the  unclaimed  acres  invited  the  husbandman  to  one  of  the 
finest  soils  ever  warmed  by  the  sun  of  Heaven. 

Need  we  wonder  that  the  old  chieftain,  Black   Hawk,  and  his  noble  band 


220  DAVENPORT 


refused  to  yield  up  the  country  to  their  white  brethren  ?  Can  we  blame  them 
for  clinging  to  this  lovely  spot,  and  for  lingering  around  the  graves  of  their 
dead? 

•'  O'er  the  fate  of  the  Indian, 
The  Great  Spirit  lias  cast 
The  spell  of  the  white  man, 
His  glory  is  past. 

While  we  may  not  stay  the  arm  of  destiny,  that  is  fast  sweeping  away  the 
aborigines  of  this  continent  as  a  distinctive  race,  we  may  question  the  policy 
that  would  exterminate  them,  and  should  throw  the  broad  mantle  of  charity 
over  their  acts. 

While  bounteous  nature  had  done  fully  her  share  in  making  this  country  an 
inviting  field  for  the  immigrant,  it  required  the  genius  and  enterprise  of  man 
to  develop  its  resources,  and  plant  its  towns  and  villages. 

Towns  in  those  days  were  laid  out  with  reference  to  natural  advantages  pre- 
sented by  the  Mississippi  River  and  its  tributaries,  and  hence  every  spot  of 
ground  along  the  river  above  high  water  mark  (and  some  below,)  was  sur- 
veyed, platted,  pictured,  and  named. 

I  will  not  undertake  the  task  of  recalling  the  names  even  of  all  the  early 
cities  in  Scott  county,  but  I  must  not  pass  in  silence  the  contest  for  supremacy 
between  Davenport  and  Rockingham.  The  history  of  this  struggle  for  the 
county  seat  of  Scott  is  so  fresh  in  my  memory  that  I  can  almost  hear  one  of 
the  "  old  guard"  singing — 

"  Here  we  are,  a  happy,  happy  band, 
On  the  banks  of  Rockingham." 

Davenport  claimed  the  seat  of  justice,  because  of  her  central  locality,  her  high 
and  dry  site,  her  beautiful  surroundings,  and  her  many  other  natural  advan- 
tages, which  we  all  now  concede  and  realize — while  Rockingham  expected  to 
become  the  great  centrepot  of  commerce  in  consequence  of  the  rich  trade  that 
was  destined  (as  she  supposed,)  to  flow  from  the  fertile  valley  of  Rock  River. 

No  one,  in  those  days,  expected  to  live  long  enough  to  see  the  iron  horse 
flying  over  this  western  prairie,  with  its  freights  of  human  life,  rich  mer- 
chandize from  the  East,  andthe  still  more  valuable  products  of  the  West. 

Our  ideas  about  traveling  and  commerce  had  not  advanced  beyond  a  light 
draught  steamer,  and  John  Frink's  mud  wagon.  The  wisdom  and  foresight  of 
the  statesmen  of  Illinois  were  directed  to  producing  slack  water  navigation  in 
Rock  River,  and  a  very  decided  amount  of  capital,  energy,  and  enterprise,  was 
devoted  to  building  up  Rockingham,  in  order  that  she  might  reap  the  benefit 
of  the  prosperous  trade  about  to  be  opened  with  the  Suckers  in  the  rich  val- 
ley of  that  river. 

I  think  I  see  the  steamer  Gipsey,  with  the  boys  on  board,  ready  to  start  out 
on  an  experimental  trip  from  the  port  of  Rockingham,  bound  for  Fox  River, 


?AST  AND  PRESENT.  221 


with  a  cargo  of  sundries,  consisting  chiefly  of  scoo-ti-op-o,  '■^  corn  bread  and 
common  doins ;'' Scoo-ti-op-o,  ^' chicfcin  Jixins  and  uncommon  doins."  Captain 
Gray  mounts  the  hurricane  deck,  rings  the  bell,  and  gives  the  word  to  the 
natives  on  shore  to  "cast  off  the  starn  hawser."  The  old  {?iyosc?/ moves  ;  that  pon- 
derous pile  of  green  oak  lumber  fastened  to  her  stern  slowly  revolves,  remind- 
ing one  of  the  current  wheels  we  sometimes  eee  on  the  rapids  of  a  river- 
Away  she  goes,  and  the  crowd  on  her  decks  give  us  ihree  cheers  at  parting' 
while  young  Rockingham  returns  nine  yells  and  a  whoop. 

Such  an  event  as  opening  the  navigation  of  Rock  River,  with  a  stern-wheeler, 
was  one  of  too  much  importance  in  its  local  bearing  upon  the  future  of  corner 
lots,  for  Davenport  to  wish  the  Gipsey  a  safe  trip,  and  the  first  impediment  to 
the  voyage,  and  the  place  where  Davenport  hopes  centered,  was  at  the  rapids 
near  Vandruf's  Island. 

While  the  "old  Gipsctf  slowly  ploughed  her  way  through  the  waters  of 
Rock  River,  a  delegation  of  Davenporters  cut  across  by  land  to  the  Vandruf 
rapids,  to  witness  the  experiment.  The  old  steamer  pushed  on,  and  boldly 
approached  the  rushing  waters,  and  fearful  boulders  ahead,  to  the  tune  of 
Yankee  Doodle,  whistled  by  the  wind  instruments  on  board,  with  the  varia- 
tions. The  Davenporters  lay  in  ambush,  watching  the  movements  of  the 
steamer,  and  wondering  if  such'a,  craft  could  possibly  ascend  such  a  current. 
Oh,  unfortunate  Miss  Gipset/ !  why  did  you  run  your  nose  between  those 
sunken  boulders,  and  bring  everything  up  standing?  Why  destroy  the 
precious  stores  laid  in  for  the  trip,  by  smashing  up  glass  and  stone  ware,  thus 
rendering  you"  passengers  and  crew  forlorn  and  sjnritless  ?  Will  you  give  it  up 
so  ?  A  yell  from  the  "  sepoys"  in  ambush  decides  the  question.  The  order  is 
given,  and  all  hands  boldly  jump  overboard,  and  never  tire  or  faint  until  their 
craft  has  cleared  the  treacherous  rocks,  and  is  once  more  in  smooth  water. 

I  think  I  see  around  me  some  of  the  mariners  who  helped  "  work  the  ship" 
on  that  occasion,  and  who  made  the  round  trip,  and  returned  wiser,  if  not 
better,  fresh  water  coveys. 

Who  among  you,  recollecting  the  incidents  of  those  stirring  times,  will  ever 
forget  the  first  county-seat  question  ?  Certainly,  not  the  prominent  actors  on 
either  side,  many  of  whom  are  with  us  to-day?  The  "border  ruffians"  of 
Missouri  did  not  originate  the  idea  of  invading  an  adjoining  territory  in  order 
to  help  their  friends  at  an  important  election ;  nor  can  Mr.  Calhoun  claim  to 
be  the  first  man  to  record  names  whose  owners  were  not  at  the  ballot  box- 
We  had  a  "  border"  and  a  "Delaware  crossing"  long  before  Kansas  was 
thought  of,  and,  to  use  an  expression  of  one  of  my  pioneer  friends,  there  was 
some  "tall  doings"  on  our  borders,  and  on  our  crossing. 

The  Suckers  furnished  a  goodly  number  for  both  parties,  but  the  delegations 
from  "  Snake  Diggins"  and  Moscow,  (the  former  headed  by  a  two-fisted  miner, 
and  the  latter  by  the  "  old  bogus  coon,")  increased  the  population  of  Scott 
county  in  one  day  to  a  number  that  astonished  the  unsophisticated,  and 
threatened  the  depopulation  of  some  of  our  sister  counties. 


222  DAVENPORT 


Fire  days  before  the  election,  both  parties  were  certain  of  success,  for  each 
party  supposed  that  it  had  outwitted  the  other  in  importing  voters.  The  day 
of  election  arrived,  and  so  did  the  imported  parties,  rejoicing  in  the  glorious 
principles  of  "squatter  sovereignty,"  and  believing  in  the  regulation  of  domes- 
tic institutions  in  their  own  way,  subject  only  to  the  party  that  could  poll  the 
most  votes,  and  make  the  returns  show  it. 

The  result  of  this  election  indicated  a  very  respectable  population  in  the 
county  in  point  of  numbers,  and  proved  that  Davenport  had  colonized  the 
most  votes.  The  returns  were  made  to  the  Governor,  who  refused  to  issue  a 
certificate,  in  consequence  of  alleged  illegal  voting,  and  the  Legislature  again 
provided  for  another  election,  and  that  the  result  should  be  recorded  on  the 
records  of  the  Commissioners  of  Dubuque  county. 

The  election  came  oif,  and  Rockingham  claimed  the  victory — while  Daven- 
port declared  that  the  whole  thing  was  illegal  and  void.  From  the  popular 
arena  the  contest  was  transferred  before  the  Commissioners  of  Dubuque 
county,  thence  to  the  Courts,  thence  to  the  Legislature,  and  finally  back  again 
to  the  ordeal  of  "  popular  sovereignty." 

Immediate  preparations  were  made  for  another  struggle,  and  now  three  or 
four  different  points  were  brought  before  the  people  for  the  prize.  Rocking- 
ham saw  that  she  stood  no  chance  in  a  triangular  fight  with  her  old  competi- 
tor, and  at  once  determined  to  form  an  alliance  with  another  rival  candidate, 
located  near  the  mouth  of  Duck  Creek,  so  that  the  last  contest  was  really 
between  Davenport  and  the  Duck  Creek  cornfield. 

The  records  of  this  county  show  that  Davenport  was  triumphant,  and  the 
question  was  thus  forever  settled.  The  important  incidents  of  this  last  election 
were  not  of  sufficient  interest  to  me  at  the  time,  to  impress  my  mind  with 
more  than  one  idea  about  them.  I  saw  something  "  going  up,"  and  broke  for 
"  old  Cedar." 

Rockingham  no  longer  rivals  Davenport,  but  in  vindication  of  the  truth  of 
History,  injustice  to  those  who  once  inhabited  the  place,  and  in  honor  of  two 
of  the  "old  Rockingham  guard,"  who  still  cling  to  her  soil,  I  may  be  permit- 
ted to  say,  that  she  was  once  a  great  place,  and  weil  watered. 

Daring  the  time  of  the  contest  for  the  county  seat,  an  event  transpired 
which  must  not  be  omitted,  in  speaking  of  the  history  of  our  settlement.  A 
dispute  arose  between  the  State  of  Missouri,  and  the  then  Territory  of  Iowa 
as  to  the  boundary  line  between  them,  and  so  determined  were  the  authorities 
on  both  sides  to  exercise  jurisdiction  over  the  disputed  territory,  that  it  re- 
sulted, in  what  is  known  to  the  Old  Settlers,  as  the  "Missouri  War." 

There  were  warriors  in  those  days ;  and  I  should  do  injustice  to  the  patri- 
otism of  that  period,  if  I  neglected  to  notice  the  military  daring  of  the  volun- 
teers, who  rushed  to  the  standard  (and  rations)  of  the  commander-in-chief,  in 
obedience  to  his  call. 

The  Sheriff  of  a  border  county  in  Iowa  undertook  to  enforce  the  collection 
of  taxes  in    the   disputed  Territory.      He  was  arrested  by  the   authorities 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  223 


of  Missouri.  The  executive  of  Iowa  demanded  his  release.  It  was  refused  ; 
and  to  rescue  this  Sheriff,  Governor  Lucas  ordered  out  the  militia,  and  called 
for  volunteers.  "  My  voice  is  now  for  war" — was  the  patriotic  response  of 
every  true  "Hawkeye."  The  county  seat  question  was  forgotten  in  the  more 
important  duty  of  driving  the  invaders  from  our  soil.  Davenport  and  Rock- 
ingham men  met,  embraced,  buckled  on  their  armor,  and  side  by  side  shouted 
their  war  cry — '-^  death  to  ike'Fukes.'"  The  officers  in  command  held  a 
council  of  war,  audit  was  decided  that  Davenport  should  be  the  head  quarters 
of  the  Scott  County  Army,  in  order  that  the  troops  might  be  inspired  by  the 
sight  of  old  Fort  Armstrong,  and  at  the  same  time  occupy  a  position  so  near 
the  Fort,  that  a  safe  retreat  would  be  at  hand,  in  case  of  an  attack  from  the 
enemy. 

On  the  day  appointed  for  the  first  drill,  the  whole  country  marched  to  the 
standard  of  the  gallant  Colonel  in  command,  and  Davenport  witnessed  one  of 
the  most  spirited  military  reviews  that  ever  took  place  within  her  limits.  The 
line  was  formed  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  fronting  toward  the  enemy's  country, 
the  right  resting  against  a  cotton  wood  tree,  the  left  in  close  proximity  to  the 
Ferry  House.  There  they  stood,  veterans  of  iron  nerve  and  dauntless  courage, 
presenting  a  sight  that  would  have  daunted  the  most  desperate  foe,  and  as- 
suring the  women  and  children  that  they  would  defend  their  homes  to  the 
death,  against  the  "  border  ruffians"  from  the  Des  Moines  River. 

The  weapons,  carried  by  some  of  these  volunteer  patriots,  were  not  satisfac- 
tory to  the  commanding  officers,  and  about  one-fourth  of  the  army  were 
ordered  out  of  the  ranks,  and  their  services  dispensed  with,  unless  they  would 
procure  others  of  a  different  character,  and  more  in  accordance  with  the  Army 
regulations.  The  objectionable  weapons  consisted  of  a  plough-colter,  carried 
in  a  link  of  a  large  log-chain,  which  the  valiant  soldier  had  over  his  shoulder. 
Another  was  a  sheet  iron  sword  about  six  feet  in  length,  fastened  to  a  rope 
strap.  Another  was  an  old-fashioned  tin  sausage  stuffer.  Another  an  old 
musket  without  a  lock,  and  the  balance  of  like  character. 

The  order  was  given  for  the  owners  of  these  mondescript  weapons  to  march 
out  of  the  ranks  three  steps.  The  order  was  obeyed.  The  ranks  closed  up, 
and  the  offending  soldiers  were  discharged  with  a  reprimand. 

I  am  not  prepared  to  say  that  the  commanding  ofHcer  was  justified,  in  thus 
summarily  discharging  so  many  men,  who  were  ready  and  anxious  to  serve 
their  country ;  and  the  result  proved,  that  the  amount  of  bravery  dismissed 
was  equal  to  that  retained ;  for  no  sooner  were  the  discharged  soldiers  clear  of 
the  line  of  the  regiment,  than  they  formed  a  company  of  cavalry,  a  company  of 
dragoons,  and  a  companj-  which  they  called  the  "  Squad,"  andthen,  under  the 
superior  generalship  of  their  leader,  the  knight  of  the  six  foot  sword,  they 
made  a  bold  charge  upon  the  regulars,  broke  their  line,  drove  not  a  few  of 
them  into  the  river,  some  into,  and  some  around  the  Ferry  House,  some  into 
the  grocery,  and  some  out  of  town ;  thus  defeating  and  dispersing  the  regular 
army  without  the  loss  of  a  man  on  either  side. 


224  DAVENPORT 


This  conflict  was  disastrous  in  its  results  to  the  regular  army,  and  before 
the  forces  could  again  bo  collected,  peace  was  declared  and  the  army  dis- 
banded. 

This  unlooked  for  cessation  of  hostilities  was  a  severe  blow  to  the  military 
aspirations  of  the  "  Hawkeyes,"  and  disappointed  the  just  expectations  of 
those  who  had  hoped  to  distinguish  themselves  in  the  defence  of  our  Terri- 
torial rights.  The  disappointment  was  not  felt  by  the  army  of  Scott  county 
alone.  Numerous  companies  had  been  formed  elsewhere,  and  had  started  for 
the  seat  of  war,  with  supplies  for  the  campaign. 

A  company  of  about  thirty  left  an  adjoining  county,  under  the  leadership  of 
a  chieftain,  who  often  used  to  say  that  he  could  "whip  his  weight  in  wild 
cats,"  and  who  has  since  represented  you  in  the  National  Congress— has  been 
upon  your  Supreme  Bench,  and  has  also  been  Chief  Justice  of  California. 

He  started  out  with  thirty  men,  and  six  baggage  wagons,  well  loaded  with 
supplies  for  his  little  army,  and,  being  determined  to  keep  up  the  ainrits  of  his 
men,  he  freighted  five  of  his  wagons  with  whisky. 

The  question  of  boundary  was  subsequently  submitted  to  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  United  States,  and  the  disputed  Territory  given  to  Iowa. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  year  1840,  this  county  contained  about  twenty- 
five  hundred  inhabitants,  of  which  number,  about  five  hundred  resided  in 
Davenport.  To-day  your  county  boasts  of  a  population  of  thirty  thousand^ 
and  this  city  claims  eighteen  thousand  of  that  number. 

In  1840,  at  the  head  of  the  Rock  Island  Rapids,  on  the  spot  where  now 
stands  the  city  of  LeClaire,  with  a  population  of  twenty-five  hundred,  grew  a 
dense  forest. 

In  1840,  the  fertile,  beautiful  prairies  of  old  Scott  were  lying  undisturbed 
by  the  husbandman;  to-day  they  are  teeming  with  industrious,  happy  owners 
of  the  soil. 

In  1840,  there  was  but  one  steam-engine  in  operation  within  the  borders  of 
your  county,  and  that  one  was  at  Rockingham.  To-day  you  may  count  them 
by  hundreds  along  the  bank  of  your  river,  from  Buffalo  to  Princeton,  on  our 
prairies,  and  in  our  groves. 

In  1840,  every  face  you  met  was  a  familiar  one,  and  the  greeting  a  greeting 
of  recognition.  To-day  the  oldest  inhabitant  hardly  knows  his  next  door 
neighbor. 

In  1840,  it  took  from  three  to  five  days  to  go  to  Chicago,  and  thirteen  to 
New  York.  To-day  the  lightning  train  puts  you  in  Chicago  in  eight  hours 
and  in  New  York  in  forty. 

In  1840,  the  young  men  of  this  Association  were  happy  children,  sporting 
upon  the  village  green,  and  making  the  welkin  ring  with  merry  laughter  and 
innocent  joy.  To-day  they  are  men  aspiring  to  a  position  in  life,  that  shall 
o-ive  them  honor  among  their  fellow  men. 

In  1840,  the  mothers  and  daughters  of  Scott  county  were  happy  in  their 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  225 


cabin  homes,  and  could  pass  in  and  out  through  the  cabin  doors.  To-day  the 
mothers  and  daughters  occupy  no  more  space  in  this  open  country — than  the 
dear  good  creatures  are  entitled  to. 

In  1840,  we  were  looking  forward  to  a  time  when  our  then  territory  should 
become  strong  enough  to  add  another  member  to  the  Federal  Union,  and  con- 
vince our  Eastern  friends  of  the  truth  of  ''  Westward  the  star  of  empire  takes  its 
toay."  To-day  our  most  sanguine  expectations  are  far  more  than  realized,  and 
we  regard  with  pride  our  noble  State,  its  prospective  future,  and  the  induce- 
ments it  holds  out  to  the  thousands  at  the  East,  who  still  cling  to  that  "Old 
Fogy"'  three  inch  soil,  which,  with  patient  cultivation,  yields  white  beans, 
buckwheat  cakes,  and  pumpkin  pies. 

Mr.  President — This  day  is  the  anniversary  of  the  birth  day  of  George 
Washington — our  Washington — and  we  have  chosen  it  as  the  day  for  our 
present  and  future  festivals. 

It  is  a  day  on  which  every  true  American  citizen  does  some  act  in  honor,  or 
gives  some  thought  to  the  memory  of  the  father  of  his  country.  That  memory 
is  the  sacred  heritage  of  the  people  he  established,  and  no  generation  of  that 
people  shall  pass  away  without  leaving  some  memento  that  he  was  indeed  firsj 
in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen. 

Some  one  has  truthfully  written,  that  "  the  first  word  of  American  infancy 
should  be  mother ;  the  second  father;  the  third  Washington."  Although  it  is 
well  that  we,  as  American  citizens,  should,  on  this  his  anniversary  day, 
linger  for  a  while  at  his  tomb,  and  renew  our  patriotism,  yet,  too,  it  is  em- 
inently fitting,  that,  assembled  as  pioneers,  with  the  sympathies  and  feelings 
of  pioneers  all  aroused  within  us,  we  should  go  to  that  tomb  to-day,  and  re- 
member that  he,  too,  was  a  pioneer,  and  that  in  him  burned  strongly  that  bold 
adventurous,  persevering  spirit  that  makes  the  pioneer  ;  that  he,  too,  endured 
pioneer  hardships  and  privations,  compared  with  which,  ours  sink  into  insig- 
nificance. 

In  his  youth  he  was  a  pioneer  surveyor  in  the  then  wilds  of  his  native  State, 
and  many  of  the  boundaries  then  established  by  him  may  be  found  to-day.  In 
his  early  manhood  he  was  selected  by  the  Governor  of  Virginia  as  a  pioneer 
envoy  through  the  wilderness  to  the  French  Commandant  on  the  Ohio.  He 
was  a  pioneer  in  leading  a  little  army  against  the  French  and  Indians,  in  de- 
fence of  the  Virginia  frontier,  and  thus  early  in  his  military  career  did  he  be- 
come known  among  his  savage  foes  as  the  "spirit-protected  man,  who  would 
be  a  chief  of  nations,  for  he  could  not  die  in  battle."  He  was  a  pioneer  in 
everything  that  tended  to  advance  the  prosperity  and  happiness  of  his  native 
land. 

He  was  the  pioneer  of  freedom  in  our  legislative  halls  ;  on  the  battle-field  ; 
through  the  long  dark  days  of  that  terriVjlo  struggle ;  through  the  period  of 
doubt  and  confusion  that  succeeded  ;  and  his  wisdom  and  patriotism,  equal  to 
all  emergencies,  at  last  led  us  into  the  haven  of  rest,  of  peace,  of  prosperity. 

29 


226  DAVENPORT 


Ills  life  is  a  part  of  his  country's  history;  and  as  living  he  laid  the  corner 
stone  of  this  vast  confederation  of  States,  that  year  by  year  is  waxing  greater 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  so,  though  dead,  his  maxims  and  example,  if 
we  adhere  to  the  one,  and  imitate  the  other,  shall  produce  a  history  more 
glorious  than  that  of  the  past;  shall  nourish  a  greatness  that  time  shall  but 
add  to  and  confirm;  and  the  unborn  generations  shall  rise  up,  and  revere  him 
as  God's  chosen  instrument  of  blessing  to  their  land.  Let  his  wisdom  and  his 
patriotism  ever  pervade  and  guard  the  land  he  loved — let  his  spirit  be  with  us 
to-day  ;  and  as  each  turning  year  brings  round  again  our  festival  day,  let  us 
ever  remember  that  it  is  also  the  day  that  marks  the  birth  of  George 
WashIi\gton. 

REGULAR    TOASTS. 

After  supper,  Judge  Grant  proceeded  to  read  the  Regular  Toasts  as  follows  : 

1.  Washington! — No  nation  can  claim,  no  country  can  appropriate  him  to 
itself.  His  fame  is  the  common  property  of  patriots  throughout  the  civilized 
world. 

2.  The  Early  Pioneers  of  Scott  County — The  hardships  and  privations  of  a 
frontier  life  justly  entitle  them  to  the  esteem  of  all  those  who  enjoy  the 
fruits  of  their  early  struggles :  their  posterity  shall  rise  up  and  call  them 
blessed. 

It  is  a  matter  of  regret  that  the  forvner,  and  especially  the  latter  of  these 
was  not  responded  to.  No  toast  of  the  evening  was  worthy  of  more  eloquence 
than  "  The  Early  Pioneers  of  Scott  County" — their  hardships,  energy,  influ- 
ence, and  all  their  character  and  surroundings  were  worthy  of  the  best  oratory 
of  the  evening. 

3.  The  Pioneer  Dead — May  their  names  be  preserved,  their  hardships  re- 
membered, and  memories  cherished,  by  their  survivors,  by  their  descend- 
ants, and  by  all  who  enjoy  the  goodly  heritage  to  which  they  led  the  way. 
Responded  to  by  Hon.  James  Grant,  who  said — 

Mk.  Chairman: — I  cannot  respond  to  the  sentiment  just  uttered,  without 
interrupting,  for  a  moment,  the  current  of  your  joyous  thoughts,  while  I  ask 
you  to  drop  a  tear  to  the  memory  of  the  dead. 

Of  all  this  numerous  assembly  there  are  few,  to  whom  death  has  not  come 
nigh,  since  they  first  encountered  the  privations  and  toils  of  a  settlement  west 
of  the  great  river. 

Some  have  lost  a  father  or  a  mother,  some  a  brother  or  a  sister,  some  a 
husband  or  a  wife,  and  many,  many  have  seen  their  children  wither  and  fade 
as  if  struck  by  the  hand  of  an  avenging  God. 

It  is  no  exaggeration,  that,  since  we  first  came  here,  in  a  single  season  of 
great  calamity,  incident  to  the  exposures  of  every  new  settlement,  one-tenth 
of  our  then  small  population  was  swept  away. 

Death,  sir,  is  ever  terrible;  whether  he  knocks  at  the  palace  or  the  cottage 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  227 


gate,  at  the  bridal  chamber,  or  when  the  mother,  for  the  first  time  feels  her 
first-born's  breath — 

The  tear,  the  groan,  the  pall,  the  bier, 
And  all  we  know  or  dread  or  fear 
Of  agony  are  his. 

But  he  came  upon  our  departed  friends  when  they  were  just  entering  a 
new  world,  upon  the  prairie  land,  before  the  spring  flowers  of  prosperity  were 
opened  to  their  view  ;  when  the  cabin  was  unthatched,  and  the  physician,  and 
the  minister  of  God  were  far  away. 

They  died  on  the  spot  where  they  were  taking  the  place  of  the  red  man, 
and  preparing  anew  theatre  for  civilization,  arts,  morals,  and  liberty. 

Early  they  departed,  but  not  till  their  eyes  were  greeted  by  the  dawning  of 
the  day,  and  they  beheld,  in  the  dim  mist  of  the  morning,  the  budding  promise 
of  the  wilderness,  and  friends,  and  sons,  and  daughters,  to  enjoy  the  goodly 
land  which  they  had  but  seen. 

Though  too  manj'  of  them  the  hand  of  "angel  woman  ministered  not  in  their 
last  hour,  yet  the  rouGch  hand  of  manhood,  softened  by  the  sympathy  of  sor- 
row, was  never  wanted  in  the  day  of  their  calamity,  and  the  pioneer,  though 
not  versed  in  the  set  phrases  of  cultivated  society,  was  ever  present,  with 
gentle  voice,  and  gentler  deeds. 

"  To  speak  the  last,  the  parting  word, 
Which,  when  all  other  sounds  decay, 
Is  still  like  distant  music  heard. 
That  tender  farewell  on  the  shore 
Of  this  rude  world  when  all  is  o'er." 

We  know  not  if  the  dead  visit  this  earth,  or  take  note  of  our  actions,  but  if 
they  do,  their  spirits  are  hovering  over  us  this  night,  and  their  hearts  made 
glad,  that  God  is  smiling  upon  us,  that  we  are  permitted  to  live,  and  enjoy 
this  pleasant  hour  ;  that  we  have  reaped  the  reward  of  those  toils  and  suffer- 
ings under  which  they  were  doomed  to  fall. 

No  storied  urn  or  animated  bust  marks  the  spot  where  the  pioneers  sleep 
their  last  sleep.  They  are  buried  beneath  the  huge  oak,  whose  shade  they 
never  see,  or  under  the  high  head-land  of  the  Mississippi,  against  which  the 
whistling  winds  and  warring  tempests  are  silent  to  them. 

Their  good  deeds  should  be  their  monument.  The  glory  of  their  fair  and 
virtuous  actions  is  above  all  the  escutcheons  on  the  tombs  of  the  great. 

Honor,  then,  to  the  memory  of  those  brave  men,  and  brave  women,  who  lost 
their  lives  in  fighting  the  battle  of  civilization  on  the  frontier. 

They  encountered  no  human  foes  ;  their  last  acts  are  not  stained  with 
blood ;  their  conquests  were  made  with  the  plough  and  the  spade,  and  not  with 
the  cannon  and  the  musket;  and  though  they  fell  in  the  beginning  of  the  con- 
tlict,  and  in  the  heat  of  the  day,  they  won  the  battle,  and  left  us  to  enjoy  the 
victory. 


Every  smiling  field  and  green  meadow  ;  every  school,  every  college,  every 
church, every  village,  this  city,  with  all  its  wealth  and  pomp  and  pride,  shall 
be  their  monuments,  recalling  their  memory,  heralding  their  triumph,  and 
honoring  their  virtues. 

'«  How  sleep  the  good,  who  sink  to  rest 
By  all  their  country's  wishes  blest 
When  Spring,  with  dewy  fingers  cold. 
Returns  to  deck  their  hallowed  mould. 
She  there  shall  dress  a  sweeter  sod, 
Than  fairy's  feet  have  ever  trod. 
By  fairy  bands,  their  knell  is  rung, 
By  forms  unseen  their  dirge  is  sung, 
There  honor  comes  a  pilgrim  grey 
To  bless  the  turf  that  wraps  their  clay, 
Aud  freedom  shall  awhile  repair 
To  dwell  a  weeping  hermit  there." 

4.     The  Star  of  Empire— ^hQn  in  its  western  progress  its  rays  of  light  fell 
upon  the  virgin  soil  of  Iowa,  a  new  destiny  was  conceived,  which  in  its  birth, 
like  the  "  Star  in  the  East,"  has  brought  forth  its  wise  men  to  worship. 
Responded  to  by  Rev.  G.  F.  Magoun,  who,  after  a  few  introductory  remarks, 

read  the  following  fine  Poem— the  production  of  a  young  lady— Miss  Mary 

E.  Meai>— an  "  old  settler"  by  birthright : 

REMINISCENCES. 


As  oft,  at  eve,  by  flreBides  bright  and  warm, 
Some  sailor  group  are  gathered,  while  they  tell 
Of  journeya  far, — of  conflict  with  the  storm, — 
Of  dangers  they  have  braved  so  long  and  well, — 
So  round  this  ample  board  we  meet  to-night, 
And  many  a  tale  of  Olden  Time  recite. 

Once  roamed  the  Indian  all  these  vales  among, 
The  deer  sprung  startled  from  his  stealthy  tread. 
The  fearful  war-whoop  through  the  forest  rung, 
The  deadly  arrow  from  its  quiver  sped  ; 
B\it  now  we  sit,— at  twilight's  soft  decline, — , 
In  peace  beneath  the  shadow  of  the  vine. 

If  e'er  to  conquering  warrior  has  been  owed 
The  glory  of  an  honored,  world-wide  name ; 
If  e'er  on  noble  souls  has  been  bestowed 
That  lofty  homage  which  is  truest  fame; 
If  e'er  in  history's  jiage  or  classic  verse 
Our  country's  Fathers  have  been  justly  praised; 
In  humbler  strains  we  surely  may  rehearse 
The  deeds  of  those  b^'  whom  our  hearths  were 

raised ; 
Who  left  their  kindred  to  return  no  more, 
And  reared  their  altars  on  this  wild-wood  shore. 

All  are  not  here :    Where  sinks  the  emerald 

Yrave 
In  long,  dull  surges  toward  the  glowing  West, 
Lies  many  a  heart  as  noble  and  as  brave 
As  e'er  was  laid  beneath  the  sod  to  rest. 


They  dropped  the  acorn  on  the  barren  glade, — 
At  noon  we  rest  beneath  the  oak  tree's  shade. 

We  meet  again ;  the  scattered  band  unite 
In  social  converse  as  in  days  of  yore  ; 
No!     Not  as  when,  within  the  ruddy  light 
Of  oak  boughs  blazing  at  the  cabin  door, 
We  sat  and  talked  the  winter  night  away, 
Till  morning  streaked  the  Eastern  hills  with 
gray. 

No  more  the  Red  Men  round  our  dwelling  prowl. 
No  foes  lies  ambushed  in  each  leafy  bovver. 
No  more  the  wolf's  swift  spring  or  sndden  howl 
Startles  the  sleeper  at  the  midnight  hour ; 
Nor  leaping  flames  before  the  rapid  gale 
Speed  like    the    waves    when   wintry  storms 
prevail. 

From  lonely  Ahmstrong'S  now-dismantled  fort 
Down  the   still  stream   no  martial  strains  are 

liorne. 
In  stately  towns  where  busy  crowds  resort, 
The  chciiful  sounds  of  labor  greet  the  morn. 
J'riim  Iiitppy  homes  the  voice  of  mirth  floats  by. 
And  plashing  waves  and  laughing  winds  reply. 

Oft  have  I  heard  the  times  recounted  o'er, 
When  every  cabin  window  was  a  door, 
When  corn  was  firuuud  upou  a  lantern's  side. 
And  doors  by  latch-sti'ings  to  the  timbers  tied; 


PAST  AND  PRESENT. 


229 


Small  was  the  store  a  lawless  horde  to  tempt, 
From  thieves  and  robbers  happily  exempt. 

Howe'er  that  bo,  of  this  there  is  no  doubt 

In  those  good  times  the  latch-strings  all  hung 

out, 
And    neighboring    friend  and  stranger  guest 

might  share 
Tho  roof  tree's  slielter  and  the  simple  fare; 
E'en  now  the  cabin  ten  by  twelve  is  seen 
AVhere  on  a  time  'tis  said  there  lodged  fifteen  I 

But  mingled  with  these  recollections  gay 
Tliere  wakes  a  sadder,  gentler  strain  for  thoao 
Who  like  some  castle  crumbling  to  decay 
Were  doomed  to  ruin  when  the  new  arose. 

'Tis  eve,  the  stars  with  silv'ry  sheen 

Rise  silently  and  slow, 
The  pallid  moon  looks  out  between, 

The  waves  repose  below. 
And  not  the  dipping  of  an  oar 
Breaks  on  the  stillness  of  the  shore, 

ArYas  it  the  whisper  of  tho  breeze 

Sighing  among  the  tangled  grass  ? 
"Was  it  the  moaning  of  the  trees 

"When  far  above  the  storm  clouds  pass? 
Oh  no,  in  silence  still  and  deep. 
The  tiniest  flower  is  lulled  to  sleep. 

But  there  are  sounds, — I  hear  them  now, 

They  swell  along  the  plain; 
'Tis  not  the  murmer  of  the  rill, 

'Tis  not  the  dash  of  rain, — 
And  can  tliere  be  a  foot  bO  light 
To  stir  the  rustling  leaves  to  night  ? 

There  is, — along  the  slant  hill-slde, 

Where  darksome  forests  bow, 
Singly  the  dusky  figures  glide, — 

Look  3'ou  can  see  them  now! 
Pause!  'tis  a  band  of  Indian  braves — 
Who  come  to  seek  their  chieftains'  graves. 

Disturb  them  not,  as  silently 
These  well  Ivnown  paths  they  trace, 

Not  long  among  us  may  there  be 
Kemnants  of  that  old  race. 

Thej'  fade  as  fades  tlie  morning  ray 

Before  the  glowing  eye  of  day. 

A  little  time  they  linger  hero, 

Unoared  for  and  unknown, 
To  shed  a  solitary  tear. 

O'er  comrades  lost  and  gone. 
Silent  and  sad  they  gathej-  round 
tome  lonely,  undistinguished  mound. 


nark!  all  the  solemn  woods  along, 

A  soft  and  saddened  lay 
As  if  some  heart  in  plaintive  song, 

Would  pour  itself  away. 
List!  while  the  mournful  cadence  swells 
Clear  as  the  tone  of  evening  bells. 

"  Still  roll  the  river  waves  as  blue 
A«  when  we  launched  the  bark  canoe. 
Or  when  we  plied  the  dripping  oar 


Beneath  tho  shelter  of  the  shore, 
Still  sings  the  lark  a  welcome  guest. 
Still  folds  the  dove  her  wings  to  rest, 
Still  the  gi-een  arching  forests  spread 
Their  boughs  as  widely  overhead, 
But  'neath  their  shadow  now,  alas  ! 
Ko  more  our  bounding  warriors  pass. 
Silent  where  once  their  footsteps  fell. 
Land  of  oiu-  birth,  farewell,  farewell;!" 
Soft  echo  answers  to  the  trembling  lay  ; 
'Jieath  heavy  shadows  glides  tho  group  away. 

Oh!  kindly  sun!    Oh!  soft  benignant  day ! 
At  thy  glad  dawn  the  darkness  takes  its  flight, 
The  sombre  hues  of  twilight  melt  away, 
And  sunrise  bathes  tho  Eastern  hills  with  light. 
So  smiled  the  morn  with  beauty  all  aglow 
On  this  fair  land  some  twenty  years  ago ! 
Faint  the  light  blushes  up  the  dewy  skies. 
From  cot  and  couch  the  cheerful  dwellers  rise, 
The  cabin  windows  ope,  wide  fly  the  doors, 
The  fiugal  wife  brings  out  her  garnered  stores. 
The  gleeful  children,  with  their  sun-browned 

hair, 
Forsake  the  house  and  sport  in  open  air, 

While  soon,— the  duties  of  the  morning'done 

Some  stripling  youth,  with  ready  dog  and  "-an 
Koams  through  the  woods,  if  haply  he  may  brin" 
From  its  far  height  the  wild  bird  on  the  wing,  " 
Or  'mid  the  rustling  forest  chance  to  hear 
The  short,  sharp  panting  of  the  startled  deer 
And  proud,  though  weary,  from  the  chase  may 

bear 
Back  to  his  cot  the  noon  and  evening  fare." 
One  seeks  in  pastures  far  the  truant  cow     ' 
Another  yokes  the  cattle  to  the  plow,      ' 
Or  marches  slow  the  well  trained  pair  beside ; 
(Plain  wagon  seats  were  then  no  bar  to  pride-^ 
Well  was  the  place  of  coach  and  four  supplied') 
So  glides  the  day  until  at  eve  they  meet. 
Children  and  sire,  each  in  his  'customed  seat, 
While  plenty  smokes  upon  the  cheerful  board 
And    clear  cold  wine  the  sparkUng    streams 

afford. 
Well  the  day's  ventures  do  the  hours  beguile 
The  dullest  face  oft  wears  a  gladsome  smile. ' 
Now  blue  eyed  "baby"  sings  herself  to  rest' 
Safe  cradled  iu  an  ancient,  lidless  chest. 
Hark,  from  the  farthest  corner  '•  Charlie's"  call 
For  "  Pa"  to  make  a  rabbit  on  the  wall. 
Then  comes  the  time  for  little  hunter  '•  Ben  " 
To  d.ay  he  surely  found  a  lion's  den.  ' 

But  closed  are  '•  Allie's"  eyes,  her  drooping  head 
Finds  the  soft  pillow  of  her  little  bed. 
The  hours  pass  cheerly  till  all  softly  creep 
Away  to  childhood's  light,  unconscious  sleep  — 
And  starlight,  peeping  through  the  half-closed 

door, 
Kisses  the  sleepers  on  the  cabin  floor. 


How  fled  the  years  in  humble  scenes  like  these 
U  ith  much  to  sadden,  more,  far  more  to  please' 
And  who  shall  tell,  that  in  this  later  day— 
When  life  has  grown  more  earnest  and  less 

A  richer  pleasure  through  its  current  thrills 
Than  in  those  cots  among  the  breezy  hills? 

Simple  their  juys,  their  days  in  quiet  spent 

Hope  for  a  watchword,  for  a  shield  content,— 


Till  Plow  at  length  beneath  their  forming  Mows     Only  the  calm  clear  voice  of  IIopo  should  whisper 
A  iiarden  from  the  wilderness  arose.  litre  to-mght. 


Glad  faces  are  around  us,  sweet  tones  upon  tho 

air, 
And    the  glance  of    fond  affection  meets   our 

greeting  everywhere. 

There  are  blessings  from  the  aged,  kind  wishes 

from  the  young, 
And  joy  her  rosy  radiance  lias  o'er  our  gathering 

flung. 

We  will  hail  the  fleeting  moments  where  the 

Past  and  Present  stand, 
One  with  a  darksome  cypress  wreath,  one  with 

a  snow-white  wand. 

We  will  hail  the  glorious  Future  with  her  cup 

of  bliss  untried, 
Wo  will  hail  the  white  winged  maiden  Hope  that 

blushes  at  her  side. 

And  the  rich  delicious  Present  shall  trip  rejoicing 
As  lightly  as  the  winged  wind  across  a  Southern 


Lo '     As  we  gaze  along  the  slender  piers 
Which  b«ar  aloft  the  lengthening  arch  of  years, 
As  we  retrace  the  first  faint  morning  ray 
And  glance  rejoicing  to  this  noon-tido  day, 
Glad  hopes,  bright    visions   o'er    our  bosoms 

throng, 
And  the  full  heart  finds  utterance  in  song. 

Oh  noble  West  !     Oh  mighty  West  I 

Oh  ever  bright  and  free, — 
Thy  prairies  ,by  tho  breeze  caressed, 

Koll  wave-like  as  the  sea. 
And  through  the  long  and  tangled  grass 
The  sunbeam's  golden  fingers  pass. 

Thy  streams  are  like  the  streams  of  Time, — 

i'heir  source  we  cannot  see, 
We  only  hear  the  water's  chime 

Ih-eak  low  and  musically, 
And  hear  the  plashing  waves,  like  rain, 
Dash  on  the  shore,  then  sink  again. 

No  pilgrim  comes  with  weary  feet 

O'ermany  a  desert  mile, 
His  prayer  or  promise  to  repeat 

Beneath  some  sacred  pile, 
Nor  counts  the  solitary  hours 
Beneath  a  city's  ruined  towers. 

But  in  this  world  so  fresh  and  young, 

Which  like  the  goddess  from  the  foam 
To  life  full  grown  and  radiant  sprung. 

Lies  thiit  dear  spot  OuR  Home. 
And  round  its  portals  Love  and  Truth 
Shall  wind  the  wreaths  of  endless  youth. 

Hushed  is  the  song,  a  sadder  strain  were  not  for 

hours  so  bright, 
6.     The  History  of  Scott  County— ^hm  we  open  this  book,  -sve  find  inscribed 

on  every  page  the  gospel  of  both  peace  and  plenty— proclaiming  perennial 

blessings  to  all  whose  faith  is  accompanied  by  works. 

Responded  to  by  Mr.  J.  A.  Birchard,  of  Pleasant  Valley,  in  a  brief  address, 
in  which  he  spoke  as  follows  : 

Ma.  President:— The  history  of  any  new  country  must  necessarily  be  one  of 
trials,  hardships,  and  piivations.  The  pioneers  have  to  leave  the  land  of  their 
birth,  the  home  of  their  childhood,  the  hearthstone  around  which  centered  all 
their'earlyjoys  and  sorrows— the  district  school-bouse  where  they  received  the 
rudiments,'if  notthe  whole  of  their  education— the  villnge  church  where  they 
assembled  weekly  to  worship  their  Creator— the  friends  of  their  youth  and  early 
manhood.  These  must  all  be  left,  and  it  is  like  tearing  a  young  sapling  from 
its  mother  earth. 

New  associations  must  be  formd,  new  homes  must  be  made,  new  school- 
houses  and  churches  built.  But,  compared  with  the  trials  and  hardships  of 
the  first  settlers  in  the  States  east  of  us,  if  we  except  those  of  our  neighbor 
across  the  river,  ours  are  not  worth  talking  about. 

There,  many  of  them  packed  their  goods  and  little  ones  two  or  three  hundred 


But  tears  are  quivering  on  the  moistened  cheek, 
A  glance  on  life's  receding  track  we  cast. 

Our  voice  is  mute,  our  lips  refuse  to  speak, 
Ourhearts  o'erflow  with  memories  of  the  past. 

Oh  !    Friends  op  Old  !  we  meet  again  to  night, 
Our  hopes  and  wishes  as  of  yore  to  blend. 
Thus  will  we  keep  the  links  of  friendship  bright, 
Thus  will  we  journey  onward  to  the  end. 
And  hand  to  hand  in  cordial  greeting  pressed, 
We'll  breathe  a  blessing  on  the  glorious  West. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  231 


miles  on  horseback  through  an  almost  trackless  wilderness,  and  were  four  or 
five  weeks  in  making  the  journey.  Then  their  difficulties  with  the  Indians — 
when  I  tell  j-ou  that  I  was  born  in  the  valley  of  the  Susquehanna,  in  the 
county  where  the  massacre  of  Wyoming  occurred,  you  will  believe  me,  sir, 
when  I  tell  you  that  many  of  the  tales  of  suffering  that  I  have  heard  are  too 
horrible  to  relate.  Before  they  could  raise  an  ear  of  corn  they  had  a  heavy 
forest  to  remove,  that  took  twenty  or  thirty  hard  days  work  to  the  acre.  Then 
they  had  the  rocks  and  stumps  to  contend  with  for  years.  I  have  serious 
doubts  whether  a  merciful  Creator,  that  always  does  all  things  well,  ever  in- 
tended the  country  for  the  habitation  of  civilized  and  christianized  man.  It  is 
the  natural  home  of  the  speckled  trout,  the  wild  deer,  and  the  Indian. 

For  us  a  bountiful  Providence  had  provided  an  excellent  highway  to  get 
here,  and  when  here  a  prolific  soil  ready  for  the  plow,  and  pasturage  sufficient 
for  the  flocks  and  herds  of  Labon  and  Jacob,  and  their  sons,  for  a  dozen  gen- 
erations. 

It  is  true,  that  from  1839  to  '44  we  thought  we  had  some  rather  hard  times 
— when  it  took  a  bushel  of  wheat  to  buy  a  yard  of  calico,  and  a  hundred  pounds 
of  pork  to  pay  for  as  many  of  salt.  But  these  were  very  different  hard  times 
from  what  they  have  in  the  old  country ;  there  it  is  starvation  times  that  they 
call  hard.  If  we  could  not  get  the  two  dollars  &  day,  we  could  get  the  roast 
beef,  and  upon  t':e  whole,  we  had  a  pretty  good  time  of  it. 

I  first  crossed  the  Mississippi  in  a  canoe,  nearly  where  the  bridge  now 
stands.  This  was  in  July  1836.  I  presume  there  were  not  more  than  tl;ree 
hundred  inhabitants  then  in  the  county.  You,  Mr.  President,  and  your  ferry- 
man, Mr.  Colton,  were  the  only  settlers  in  Davenport,  and  Mr.  Eleazer  Park- 
hurst,  the  only  one  at  LeClaire. 

At  that  time  there  was  not,  to  my  knowledge,  a  single  mile  of  Railroad 
between  the  Mississippi  River  and  the  Alleghany  Mountains. 

The  iron  horse,  except  at  the  portage  road  in  Pennsylvania,  had  never  tasted 
the  waters  that  flow  through  our  noble  river  to  the  Gulf.  Now  the  amount  that 
he  consumes  daily  would  have  floated  the  entire  navy  of  the  United  States  at 
the  time  of  the  revolution ;  and  the  amount  of  produce  that  he  moves  from 
this  fertile  valley  towards  a  market  in  the  same  time  would  make  a  full 
freight  for  it. 

The  last  time  that  I  crossed  the  river  was  upon  my  return  last  fall  from  a 
visit  to  my  friends  in  my  native  State,  and  I  crossed  at  the  same  place,  but 
how  differently.  I  crossed  the  great  father  of  waters  as  it  cannot  be  crossed 
at  any  other  point  from  its  source  to  its  mouth — upon  a  noble  structure,  a 
proud  monument  to  the  enterprise  and  perseverance  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
twin  cities.  To  the  pioneers  of  Davenport  belongs  a  very  large  share  of  the 
credit  for  this  truly  magnificent  improvement. 

The  train  upon  which  I  crossed  was  brought  over  by  a  locomotive,  named 
after  one  of  our  prominent  pioneers.     We  landed  where,  when  I  first  crossed 


232  DAVENPORT 


the  river,  stood  the  lone  cabin  of  our  worthy  President.  What  do  I  find  now  ? 
A  young  city  teeming  with  life,  and  containing  a  larger  population  and  more 
wealth  than  was  then  contained  in  Galena,  St.  Louis,  and  Chicago. 

I  think,  sir,  that  we  have  proved  our  faith  by  our  woi-ks,  and  if  any  man  is 
skeptical  upon  the  sentiment  contained  in  the  text,  let  him  take  a  ride  any 
pleasant  day  along  the  river,  from  Buffalo  to  Princeton,  from  thence  through 
the  prairie  to  Blue  Grass,  and  he  will  become  a  convert  to  the  "  Gospel  both 
of  peace  and  plenty." 

We  have  formed  the  new  associations, — that  they  have  been  pleasant  ones  I 
have  the  best  evidence  in  the  world  around  me  this  evening. 

We  have  transplanted  the  young  sapling,  it  has  taken  deep  root  in  a  con- 
genial soil  and  became  a  sturdy  tree. 

We  have  made  the  new  homes,  raised  the  new  altars,  built  the  new  school- 
houses  and  churches.  To  do  this  required  men ;  men  of  iron  nerve,  of  strong 
arms  and  large  hearts,  and  such  were  the  pioneers  of  Scott  county. 

6.  The  City  of  Davenport — The  Pet  and  the  Pride  of  glorious  "old  Scott;'' 
crown  jewel  of  the  Upper  Mississippi ;  the  rose  of  Sharon  and  the  lily  of  the 
valley. 

Responded  to  by  Hon.  Jas.  Thorington,  in  whose  off-hand  remarks  were 
mingled  the  humor  and  good  sense  which  are  so  characteristic  of  the  Speaker. 
Unfortunately,  it  has  not  been  possible  to  obtain  a  copy  of  his  remarks. 

7.  The  Race  that  occupied  the  land  be/ore  us — Men  in  physical  ability,  stoics  in 
morals  :     They  are  our  brothers. 

Rev.  Mr.  Powers  responded  to  this,  and  spoke  as  follows  : 

Mr.  President: — It  is  fitting,  amid  the  stirring,  local  and  national  associ- 
ations of  this  hour,  to  remember  that  stern  race  whose  fair  heritage  we  pos- 
sess. Their  hunting  grounds  have  become  our  harvest-fields;  the  sites  of 
their  wigwams  are  thriving  settlements  and  industrious  marts ;  household 
sounds  and  christian  worship  are  heard  where  resounded  their  war  cry  ;  and 
on  their  trail  the  iron  railway  shoots  toward  the  setting  sun. 

Though  children  of  the  wilderness,  rude,  sanguinary,  and  superstitious,  still 
their  savage  humanity  is  redeemed  by  many  heroic  virtues.  As  magnanimous 
in  friendship  as  they  were  implacable  in  revenge  ;  as  sagacious  in  council  as 
dauntless  in  war— ever  patient,  intrepid,  self-reliant,  imperturbable  in  success 
or  defeat,  with  their  darkest  traits  are  always  blended  lines  of  light,  which 
reveal  the  nobler  qualities  of  the  man. 

Indian  history,  sir,  is  not  barren  of  pathetic  incident  and  brilliant  example. 
Heroes  and  patriots  live  in  its  exciting  chronicles.  And  whether  we  contem- 
plate the  noble  constancy  of  King  Philip,  the  magnanimity  of  Massasoit,  the 
tenderness  of  Pocahontas,  the  eloquent  enthusiasm  of  Garangula  and  Red 
Jacket,  the  chivalrous  heroism  of  Tecumseh,  or  the  fervid  patriotism  of  Black 
Hawk,  we  recognize  types  of  character  which  claim  our  sympathy,  and  com- 
mand our  admiration. 

Though  the  Indian  saw,  in  the  trophies  of  advancing  civilization,  fruitful 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  233 


lands  and  peaceful  arts,  the  ornaments  and  amenities  of  life,  still  we  can  honor 
that  sentiment  which  inspired  his  devotion  to  the  rude  fieedom  of  his  native 
wilds,  and  provoked  resistance  to  the  aggressive  pioneer  with  all  the  arts  of 
subtle  strategy  and  force,  even  when  the  shadow  of  doom  was  dark  upon  him. 
Yes,  we  can  honor  him,  for  the  land  that  we  loved  was  the  land  of  his  fathers, 
and  he  felt  that  their  voices  spoke  to  him  of  duty  and  patriotism  from  their 
graves. 

But  the  memory  of  this  peculiar  race  shall  not  piss  away,  though  they  have 
left  no  monuments  in  brass  and  marble  to  plead  for  them  from  ruin  and 
decay.  It  is  perpetuated  in  the  appellations  of  mighty  waters  and  everlasting 
lands.  Their  legends  whisper  in  every  wind,  in  falling  leaf,  and  feathery 
snow,  and  in  all  the  cadences  of  the  woods  and  shores.  And  while  our  har- 
vests ripen  under  auspicious  suns,  while  the  blue  rivers  bear  our  commerce  to 
the  sea,  while  a  srrateful  people  enjoy  the  blessings  of  the  Great  Father  of  us 
all,  the  story  of  their  pastimes  and  their  prowess,  shall  be  repeated  in  the 
homes  of  the  happy  and  the  free. 

8.  Anioine  LeClaire—F'irst  in  settlement — first  in  efforts  to  make  our  city 
peerless  among  rivals — first  in  the  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens — first 
President  of  this  society  ;   may    "  his  shadow  never  be  less." 

Responded  to  by  E,  Cook,  Esq  ,  who  regretted  that  the  reply  had  not  been 
committed  to  abler  men— a  regret  wholly  uncalled  for,  as  he  did  not  fail  in 
doing  the  subject  full  justice.  His  laudations  of  Mr.  LeCla.re  were  recognized 
as  correct  and  merited. 

9.  Marquette  and  Joliet- -The  Pioneers  of  Pioneers.     History,  poetry,  fiction, 
exhibit  nowhere  a  heroism  so  lofty,  a  daring  so  noble,  an  ambition  so  pure, 
and  faith    so  lovely,  as  may  be  found   in  the  oft-neglected  but  simple  and 
touching  story  of  the  first  white  men  who  trod  the  soil  of  Iowa, 
Respomled  to  by  John  F.  Dillon,  who  said — 

Mr.  Ch^irmax: — No  sentiment  has  been  offered  to-night,  to  which  I  could 
more  heartily  respond,  than  to  that.  In  my  judgment  it  is  eminently  pertinent. 
I  may  possibly  amplify,  but  can  scarcely  hope  to  add  to  the  thoughts  it  con- 
cisely embraces.     Its  language  is  no'  that  of  exaggeration. 

If  I  heard  aright,  Marquette  and  Joliet  are  styled  "  the  Pioneers  of  Pioneers." 
Literally  and  strictly  true.  Beyond  cavil,  they  were  the  first  white  men  that 
set  foot  upon  the  soil  of  Iowa.  Nor  was  the  advent  of  the  pale  face  so  recent 
as  we  are  apt  to  imagine.  About  fitty  years  only  after  the  landing  of  the 
Pilgrims— nearly  sixty  years  jorwr  to  the  founding  and  settlement  of  Georgia 
by  the  enlightened  and  chivalric  Oglethorpe — almost  ten  years  before  William 
Penn  made  his  famous  treaty  with  the  natives,  distinguished  as  being  almost 
the  only  treaty  ever  made  with  the  ill-starred  race, 

"Never  sworn  to,  and  never  broken," 
did  the  illustrious  Marquette  and  Joliet  visit  lovely  Iowa,— the  State  we  are 

30 


proud  to  call  our  own!     In  striciest  verity,  then,  thej  are   tbe  Pioneers  of 
Pioneers. 

Somctliing,  me  thought  I  beard  in  the  sentiment  about  their  heroism  and 
daring  1  and  something  about  their  unquestioning  Faith  and  pure  Ambition  1 

How  gladly,  under  other  circumstances,  would  I  talk  upon  this  interesting, 
this  suggestive  theme  1  But  it  would  be  vastly  imprudent  to  risk  an  excursion 
to  this  Enchanted  Ground,  where  one  would  infallibly  be  tempted  to  linger 
longer  than  the  proprieties  of  the  occasion,  and  the  advanced  hour  of  the 
night  would  warrant.  A  few  words,  then,  and  a  few  only,  must  suffice.  We 
must  be  content  to  glance  at,  without  entering  upon,  the  delightful  land. 

The  whole  West,  the  Mississippi  Valley,  at  the  time  of  which  I  speak,  was  an 
unexplored  wilderness.  More  than  a  century  had  elapsed  since  the  discovery 
of  the  Mississippi  by  the  romantic  De  Soto,  wbo,  though  he  found  not  gold  in 
its  sands,  most  fittingly  found  a  grave  beneath  its  waters, — yet  nothing  more 
than  its  bare  existence  was  known. 

No  European  knew  where  it  rose  or  where  it  discharged  its  mighty  floods. 
Marquette  knew  of  it  only  from  the  reports  of  the  natives  as  the  "Great 
River"  lying  somewhere  in  the  distant  West,  and  whose  banks  were  reputed  to 
be  thronged  with  blood-thirsty  savages,  and  whose  waters  were  said  to  abound 
in  destructive  monsters. 

He  felt  animated  to  attempt  its  discovery;  and  nobly  dared  to  brave  every 
danger,  and  endure  every  hardship  incident  to  the  perilous  undertaking. 
Why  did  he  seek  it  ?  and  how  9 

He  sought  it  not  as  thousands  in  our  own  day  have  sought  a  distant  land  in 
our  own  Continent,  and  a  still  more  distant  island  in  a  distant  ocean,  for  Gold! 
He  sought  it  not  for  wordly  fame,  or  worldly  ends.  He  sought  it  as  an  hum- 
ble Missionary  for  the  purpose  of  proclaiming  the  Gospel,  and  erecting  the 
standard  of  Christianity  among  the  tribes  that  he  thought  to  find  residing  upon 
its  banks.  I  see  in  imagination,  Marquette  and  Joliet,  with  but  five  attendaxits, 
and  two  guides,  leave  the  last  white  settlement,  and  boldly  pushing  forward 
they  knew  not  where,  among  hostile  and  unknown  tribes. 

Their  guides  can  aid  them  no  further,  and  the  guides  return.  Submitting 
to  the  guidance  of  Providence,  with  their  light  canoes  upon  their  backs,  they 
at  length  find  tbe  Wisconsin.  Unlike  the  streams  they  had  left  behind,  this 
flowed  towards  the  setting  sun.  They  patiently  follow  its  current  for  an  en- 
tire week,  when  lo !  the  long  sought  for  River,  as  magnificent  then  as  it  is 
to-day,  burst  upon  their  enraptured  vision. 

Day  after  day  they  sailed  down  its  waters.  They  certainly  passed,  mayhaps 
landed  at  the  place  where  our  flourishing  city  now  stands. 

Near  the  southern  boundary  of  our  State  they  aayr  foot  prints  on  the  sands  of 
the  river  shore.  They  landed, — anticipating,  but  not  dreading,  death  at  every 
step,  and  kept  upon  the  trail  until  it  led  to  an  Indian  village  upon  the  banks 
of  the  Des  Moines. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  235 


Their  courage  and  heroism  faltered  not  for  a  moment.  They  boldly  ad- 
vanced, and  Marquette  proclaimed  to  the  astonished  natives  God  and  the 
doctrines  and  mysteries  of  the  faith  which  he  taught. 

The  remarks  of  the  eloquent  gentleman  who  responded  to  number  seven  i 
remind  me  of  the  first  words  of  these  natives  on  the  banks  of  the  Des  Moines, 
on  beholding  Marquette  and  his  companions:  "  We  are  men,"  said  they.  And 
men  they  were.  They  are  our  brothers.  They  were  recognized  as  such  by 
Marquette  "  in  his  labors  of  love." 

Do  the  departed  look  down  upon  us  ?  If  so,  with  what  astonishment  must 
these  early  Voyageurs  behold  the  miraculous  growth  and  development  of  the 
country  they  were  the  first  to  point  out  and  visit. 

We  love  to  imagine,  as  they  trod  these  shores,  in  the  majestic  solitudes  of 
nature,  that  they  heard  the  tramp  of  the  coming  millions  I  and  had  visions  of 
the  Empires  that  have  since  arisen  so  marvelously  upon  the  banks  of  the  Great 
River  they  were  the  first  to  explore. 

They  founded  no  cities.  They  left  no  permanent  monuments  behind  them  ! 
Yet  a  generous  posterity  will  not  willingly  let  their  names  perish.  So  far  as 
they,  or  their  "  simple  and  touching  story"  is  concerned,  no  "  Old  Mortality" 
is  needed  by  the  "  Pioneer  Settlers"  assembled  here  to-night.  So  long  as  yon 
river  fiows,  it  will  water  their  memories,  and  preserve  them  fresh  and  green  1 

10.     The  Pioneer  Press  of  Scott  County. 

Mr.  Andi-ew  Logan  was  first  called  upon,  and  made  some  brief  but  peitinent 
remarks  in  regard  to  the  reception  and  growth  of  the  Press  in  Davenport.  He 
was  followed  by  Alfred  Sanders,  Esq.,  Senior  Editor  of  the  Gazette,  who  spoke 
as  follows : 

Mr.  Chairman  : — la  responding  to  that  sentiment,  permit  me  to  express  my 
pleasure  in  meeting  so  many  of  my  fellow  citizens,  those  whose  features  and 
voices  have  so  long  been  familiar  to  me.  I  love  to  look  upon  their  smiling 
faces,  many  of  which,  alas !  since  they  first  were  familiar  to  my  sight,  have 
become  worn  and  furrowed  by  time,  while  their  locks  have  grown  thin  and 
blanched  by  age.  But  we  are  all  passing  away — we  that  were  boys  and  girls 
a  few  years  since,  are  now  the  fathers  and  mothers  of  boys  and  girls,  and  the 
responsibility  that  devolved  upon  our  parents  now  rests  upon  us.  Another 
score  of  years  and  our  children  will  be  the  actors  in  the  drama  of  life,  and  we 
either  be  spectators  or  have  reti"ed  altogether  from  the  stage  of  action. 

When  the  portals  of  manhood  first  opened  to  me,  and  the  wide  world  lay 
spread  out,  inviting  me  to  select  a  locality,  I  started  upon  a  tour  of  over  two 
thousand  miles.  I  viewed  many  towns  on  my  route,  but  the  one  that  presented 
the  strongest  attractions,  that  off"ered  the  most  inducements  for  me  to  return 
and  make  it  my  home,  was  the  then  insignificant  but  beautiful  town  of  Daven- 
port, at  that  lime  a  small  village  of  some  five  hundred  inhabitants. 

In  the  same  year  of  my  life  I  came  and  declared  my  intention  of  becoming  a 
citizen,  and  the  next  year  returned  and  brought  with  me  my  press,  my  partner 


-M 


236  DAVENPORT 


in  businfs  — I  might  almost  add,  my  partner  in  life,  as  sbe  immediately  fol- 
lowed— .  n  I  (I'anitd  my  stakes  for  I fe. 

We  laniled  lure  on  the  Uih  day  of  Augu^^t,  1841,  on  one  of  the  smallest 
steamers  that  ever  aseend-d  the  Mississippi  River.  In  crossing  the  Lower 
R.ipid.s  we  had  iapileover,  the  power  oftlie  engine  not  being  sufficient  to  pro- 
pil  the  little  steamer  a^aiust  the  current!  We  were  four  diiys  thence  in  reaching 
the  town  of  Davenport.  As  we  landed  here,  the  good  people  of  the  village 
crowded  down  to  the  wharf  to  see  and  aid  in  diserab.irking  the  new  press,  and 
so  eflfectually  did  they  succeed  in  the  latter  particular,  that  they  managed 
before  they  got  it  ashore  to  bury  it  beneaih  the  waves  of  the  Father  of  Waters  1 
Thus  it  was  baptized.,  and  I  trust  it  never  did  discridit  to  the  town  it  repre- 
sented, the  cause  it  advocated,  nor — the  ghostly  fathers  that  administered  the 
ordinance  I 

That  we  saw  hard  times  for  many  years  in  the  publication  of  the  Gazette, 
every  old  settler  from  per-onal  experience  knows  to  be  the  fact,  but  being 
blessed  with  a  spirit  that  never  says  die,  we  persevered,  and  the  paper  now 
Stands  as  one  of  the  institutions  of  the  West. 

With  pride  I  say  it,  Mr.  Chairman, — as  I  presume  it  to  be  the  only  instance 
oa  record  in  the  West — that  although  we  had  to  purchase  all  our  paper  and 
materials  in  the  East,  and  have  them  brought  out  by  the  slow  and  tedious 
course  of  the  Ohio  and  Mis^issifipi  rivers,  and  although  we  had  our  paper 
sunk,  and  burned,  and  delayed  by  every  accident  incident  to  so  long  a  transpor- 
tation, and  although  my  assistants  were  sick,  and  I  alone  had  to  fill  every 
department  of  the  paper,  from  writing  its  editorials,  and  setting  the  type,  to 
working  at  press,  and  rolling  for  papers,  yet,  during  the  sixteen  and  a  half 
years  I  have  controlled  the  Gazette,  it  never  has  missed  a  single  number. 

Of  all  those  connected  with  the  press  in  the  State  of  Iowa,  or  in  the  entire 
region  of  country  west  of  the  Mississippi  River,  from  its  source  to  its  ou'let,  at 
the  time  I  commenced  the  publication  of  the  Davenport  Gazette,  not  a  single 
one  remains  in  that  capacity — they  are  all  gone,  a  few  to  other  occupations,  but 
the  great  majority  of  them  to  the  bourne  whence  no  traveler  returns.  I  stand 
alone,  and  yet  not  alone — there  are  more  editors  this  day  in  the  city  of  Daven- 
port than  there  were  then  in  the  entire  State  of  Iowa,  and  throughout  the 
West — who  can  number  them  ? 

I  will  but  add,  that  if  an  acccuntability  attaches  to  us  old  settlers,  for  our 
agency  in  inducing  many  persons  to  leave  the  comfjrtsand  luxuries  of  Eastern 
homes  to  take  up  their  abode  here,  where  they  were  denied  those  luxuries, 
that  I  will  have  full  as  much  to  answer  for  as  any  of  you  ;  but  if  I  have  no 
worse  reflection  to  vex  my  last  hours  than  the  thought  of  my  instrumentality  in 
inducing  good  people  to  make  Davenport  their  homes,  I  shall  certainly  depart 
in  peace. 

11.  The  Pioneer  Children — They  are  now  brave  young  men  and  fair  young 
women;  may  their  lives,  if  not  as  eventful,  be  as  useful  as  those  of  their 
parents. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  .  2S7 


Responded  to  by  G.  W.  Hoge,  in  a  very  creditable  speech.     He  said  : 

One  of  Scott  County's  Earliest  Born, — it  is  with  no  little  pleasure,  Mr. 
President,  that  I  respond  to  this  call,  which  recognizes  me  as  such ;  and  to 
the  toast,  in  which  we,  the  "  children  of  the  soil,"  are  so  kindly  remembered. 

There  are  hours,  sir,  in  the  lives  of  all,  which,  from  attendant  circumstances 
become  eras — landmarks  a  ong  the  pathway  of  life,  to  which  memory  will  ever 
revert,  with  undiminished  interest.  Such  an  one  will  the  present  occasion  be  • 
and  by  none  will  it  be  remembered  with  a  truer,  or  more  lasting  pleasure, 
than  by  us,  the  junior  members  of  this  noble  family — us,  "the  Pioneer  Child- 
ren of  Scott  County." 

Born  here,  many  of  us,  at  a  time  when  but  a  few  scattered,  and  lowly 
dwellings,  marked  the  site  of  the  now  populous  and  opulent  city  of  Davenport 
— while  our  beauteous  State,  herself,  was  vet  in  embryo — our  interest  in  Scott 
county  has  been  no  less  deep ,  our  affection  for  her  no  less  fervent  than  their's 
who,  emigrants  from  other  States,  came  here  to  find  a  second  home  on  our 
boundless  prairies,  or  beside  our  noble  river. 

We,  sir,  had  no  sacred  ties  to  sever — no  happy  firesides  in  far  Eastern  homes 
to  regret — here,  was  our  first,  our  only  home — we  knew  no  ether  and  we 
cared  for  none.  To  us,  the  ivorld  was  bounded  on  the  East  by  the  Mississippi,  and 
Davenport  ivas  its  Metropolis. 

Scott  county,  sir,  has  been,  as  it  were,  our  twin  Sister;  we  have  grown  with 
her  growth,  and  strengthened  with  her  strength— her  friends  are  our  friends, 
and  her  prosperity  our  "chief  joy." 

Here,  sir,  has  been  the  theatre  of  all  our  joys,  and  all  our  sorrows.  Here 
cradled  in  the  arms  of  Pioneer  mothers,  the  days  of  our  early  childhood  passed 
as  one  bright,  unbroken  dream;  and  as  days  lengthened  into  years,  and  the 
babe  became  the  boy,  by  the  side  of  Pioneer  fathers,  we  have  explored  to  us 
the  unbounded  expanse  of  the  seedland,  or  the  harvest-field  ;  happy  thouo-h 
we  could  not  work,  to  carry  the  sickle,  or  the  hoe ;  and  wishing  that  we  were 
men,  that  we,  too,  might  hold  the  plough,  or  reap  the  grain,  or  drive  a  prairie 
team. 

Or  we  have  stood,  while  the  "sounding  aisles  of  the  dim  woods  rang"  to  the 
strokes  of  the  Pioneer's  axe,  and  watched  the  big  chips  fly,  until  the  mighty 
oak  reeled — tottered — and  fell,  with  a  crash  that  woke  the  woodland  echoes 
for  many  a  rood.     How  we  longed  to  be  woodsmen  then  I 

And  here,  sir,  on  many  a  long,  bright  Summer's  day,  we  sat  in  the  rustic 
school-house,  striving  to  comprehend  the  mysteries  of  spelling  book  or  primer 
until  released  from  study — gamboling  in  unrestrained  freedom  on  nature's 
own  green  carpeting,  spread  before  the  door — a  merry  band,  we  shouted  our 
delight,  unrestricted  by  city  ordinances. 

And  when  the  week  slipped  by,  and  Sabbath  morning  smiled,  with  reverence 
we  sat   in  the  little  weather-beaten   church,  while,    in  heartfelt   terms     the 
Pioneers  praised  the  name  of  their  fathers'  God  for  this  their  fair  inheritance 
and  earnestly  besought  his  choicest  blessings  on  their  prairie  homes. 


238  DAVENPORT 


Such,  sir,  were  our  joys — we  had  our  sorrows,  too.  For,  ever  and  anon,  a 
dark  cloud  of  gloom  gathered  over  the  little  settlement,  as  some  loved  one  was 
taken  from  our  midst  by  the  hand  of  the  destroyer. 

A  father,  perhaps — well-beloved — stricken  down  in  the  pride  of  his  man- 
hood ;  or  some  tender  mother  is  gone — leaving  sad  and  desolate,  a  heretofore 
happy  hearth.  Or,  perchance,  the  prattling  babe — the  light  and  sunshine  of 
the  cottage  circle — unfolded  its  little  wings,  and  soared,  a  white-robed  cherub, 
to  its  starry  home.  Or  the  merry,  light-hearted  child — the  joyous  sharer  in 
oar  youthful  sports — left  us,  with  aching  hearts  and  quivering  lips,  to  mourn 
his  early  grave. 

But  this  is  too  sad  a  theme — there  is  another — a  brighter  one — to  which  we 
gladly  turn. 

The  birth-right,  sir,  is  not  alone  to  us  of  the  "  sterner  sex" — for  I  can  look 
around  me  here  to-night,  and  see  many  a  sparkling  eye,  whose  first  bright 
glance  lit  up  the  loneliness  of  a  settler's  cabin — many  a  coral  lip,  whose  first 
sweet  smil  gla  Idened  a  Pioneer  mother's  heart.  And  the  witchery  of  these 
bright  glances  has  been  round  us  ever.  These  sweet  smiles — like  the  guerdon 
of  the  boy  and  man — gave  zest  to  all  our  youthful  pleasures,  as  to-night  they 
throw  enchantment  round  this  festive  scene. 

And  where,  Mr.  President — whether  as  now,  gracing  the  crowded  assembly, 
or  in  the  home  circle,  filling  and  adorning  alike  the  various  stations  of  daughter, 
sister,  wife,  or  all  combined — where,  I  ask,  will  you  find  a  lovelier  galaxy  than 
these,  the  Pioneer  daughters  of  Scott  county?  And,  sir,  all  of  this  gentle  sister- 
hood are  not  with  us  on  this  occasion. 

The  snow  lies  lightly  o'er  some  well-remembered  forms  that  sleep  in  yonder 
grave-yard.  So.me,  for  a  time,  have  left  us,,  whom  we  hope,  ere  long,  to  greet 
again.  Others — and  we  miss  them  all — on  distant  shrines  have  placed  their 
household  gods.  But  we  feel  assured,  sir,  that  if  these  absent  ones  know  of 
this,  our  social  gathering,  their  hearts  are  with  us  in  our  joy ;  for  while 

"Through  other  scenes  their  footsteps  roam, 

Still  hither  must  their  hearts  expand — 
There  is  their  loved — adopted  home — 

T/iis,  this,  is  stiU  their  naiiM  land  /" 

"What  wonder  then,  Mr.  President,  that  we  love  this  soil,  hallowed  by 
such  associations  ?  What  wonder,  that  in  our  eyes,  Scott  county  is  the 
"fairest  land  the  sun  shines  on  ?" 

We  glory  in  this  our  birth-place.  We  glory  in  the  noble  stock  from  which  we 
sprung.     May,  they,  sir,  never  have  cause  to  blush  for  us  ! 

12.     The  City  of  LeClaire — Our  young  and  prosperous  rival.     Let  Davenport 

look  well  to  her  laurels. 

Mr.  Laurel  Summers,  Esq.,  of  LeClaire,  was  to  have  responded  to  this  toast, 
but  was  obliged  to  send  a  letter  of  regret.     Judge  Grant  made  some  humorous 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  239 


remarks  in  comparison  of  Davenport  and  LeClaire,  bringing  in  some  excellent 
puns. 

13.      Woman — The  pride  and  ornament  of  the  proudest  palace — the  joy  and 

sunshine  of  the  humblest  cabin. 

Hiram  Price,  Esq.,  responded  in  his  usual  felicitous  style  to  this  universally 
popular  toast.     He  said  : — 

Mr.  Cuairman  : — I  am  called  upon  to  respond  to  the  sentiment,  that 
"  Woman  is  the  pride  and  ornament  of  the  proudest  Palace,  and  the  joy  and 
sunshine  of  the  humblest  Cabin." 

Well,  sir  nobody  doubts  that,  do  they  ?  There  is  but  one  side  to  that  sub- 
ject, and  consequently  no  chance  for  an  argument.  Woman  !  I  rather  like  the 
name,  it  seems  like  coming  back  to  first  principles,  and  while  I  am  well  satis- 
fied that  she  is  justly  entitled  to  an  abler  advocate,  and  better  representative 
than  myself,  yet  I  am  bold  to  assert  that  the  declaration  contained  in  that 
toast  is  literally  and  emphatically  true. 

You  might  have  gone  further,  sir,  and   added  to    the  reading,  the  words 

'^  and  generally  pretty  hard  to  get  ahead  of^'  for  certain  I  am,  that  all  present 
will  agree  with  me,  when  I  say  that  it  is  daily  becoming  a  more  difficult  task 
to  get  around  them. 

"  The  pride  and  ornament  of  the  proudest  Palace."  Yes,  sir,  of  this  there  can 
be  no  question,  and  yet  what  I  may  say  upon  this  point,  must  of  necessity  be 
more  the  result  of  historical,  than  experimental  knowledge.  But  sir  when 
you  talk  of  her  as  being  the  joy  and  sunshine  of  the  humblest  Cabin,  I  can 

speak  from  experience — on  the  subject  of  Cabins  I  am  at  home.  I've  been  there 

as  boy  and  man  I  have  builded  them,  and  lived  in  them,  and  to-night  memory 
runs  back  to  the  days  of  my  boyhood,  and  calls  up  before  my  mental  vision 
the  image  of  my  mother,  as  she  appeared  to  me  in  those  days,  at  once  the  joy 
and  the  sunshine  of  my  cabin  home. 

"Whether  viewed  from  this  stand  point,  or  from  one  a  little  further  down  the 
stream  of  time,  where  with  her  who  for  near  a  quarter  of  a  century  has  shared 
the  lights  and  shades  of  life  with  me,  and  who  accompanies  me  to  this  festive 
hall  to-night,  I  commenced  the  battle  of  life  in  the  world, — in  either  case  and 
from  every  point  of  observation,  I  am  furnished  with  evidence  to  conclusively 
establish  the  fact,  that  woman  is  the  joy  and  sunshine  of  the  Cabin. 

The  homes  of  America  1  Yea,  the  homes  of  the  World,  all  proclaim  with 
united  voice  that  Woman  is  not  only  the  Pride  of  the  Palace,  but  that  she  is 
emphatically  the  Joy  and  Sunshine  of  the  Cabin. 

In  this  world,  Palaces  are  for  the  few.  Cabins  for  the  million.  Amono-  the 
domicils  of  earth.  Cabins  are  the  rule.  Palaces  the  exception.  But  whether  in 
the  Palace,  or  in  the  Cabin,  it  is  in  the  heme  circle  that  woman  finds  her 
proper  sphere,  her  true  element.  It  is  from  that  centre  that  her  influences 
radiate,  revealing  fountains  of  joy,  and  reservoirs  of  sunshine  wherever  her 
voice  is  heard  in  the  territory  of  christian  organization,  and  much,  very  much 
of  what  the  world  possesses  of  happiness  is  attributable  to  that  influence. 


240  DAVENPORT 


True,  there  have  been  occasional  instances,  where  woman  has  stepped  out  of 
this  sphere,  and  for  a  time  has,  with  meteoric  flashes,  fixed  the  gaze,  and 
attracted  the  attention  of  an  astonished  world.  Such,  for  instance,  as  the 
Maid  of  Saragossa,  Joan  of  Arc,  and  last,  though  not  least,  Florence 
Nightingale,  the  latter  of  whom  was,  and  is,  at  once  the  pride  of  all 
Palaces,  and  the  joy  and  sunshine  of  all  Cabins  ;  but  these  are  exceptions 
to  the  rule,  and  only  prove  the  rule  to  be  that  the  home  circle  is  woman's  true 
kingdom.  Without  her,  man  would  be  a  savage,  a  hairy  faced,  unshaven 
savage,  for  without  her  smooth  and  smiling  face  constantly  before  him,  he 
would  not  have  been  sufficiently  civilized  to  shave. 

'Twas  for  these,  among  other  reasons,  that  the  declaration  went  forth  from 
above,  that  it  was  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone.  And,  Mr.  Chairman,  it  is  but 
a  few  months  since  one  of  the  christian  powers  of  Europe  was  compelled  to 
send  out  a  ship  load  of  women  to  one  of  their  Island  Colonies,  to  prevent  their 
colonists  from  relapsing  into  barbarism.  That,  sir,  was  emphatically  a  ship 
load  of  joy  and  sunshine  for  the  Cabins  of  that  Colony. 

It  is  true,  sir,  that  without  this  influence, 


"  Man  may  climb  the  slippery  steep. 
Where  wealth  and  hun   r  lofty  shine — 

An  J  love  of  gold  may  tempt  the  deep. 
Or  downward  seek  the  Indian  mine"^ 


but  in  all  that  enobles,  all  that  elevates,  all  that  raises  from  earth  and  points 
Heavenward,  in  all  that  feeds  and  fills  his  higher  nature,^he  will  be  deficient- 
And  even  now,  sir,  I  hear  from  afar  the  lamentation  of  one  of  earth's  most 
favored  and  gifted  sons,  as  from  the  exalted  position  to  which  he  had  climbed 
in  search  of  happiness  and  fame,  he  exclaims — 

"  I  miss  thee,  my  mother,  in  the  long  Winter  nighta, 

I  remember  the  tales  thou  wouldst  tell — 
The  romance  of  wild  fancy,  the  legend  of  fright — 

Ah!  who  could  e'er  tell  them  so  well? 
Tl.y  corner's  now  vacant,  thy  chair  is  removed — 
■  It  was  kind  to  take  that  from  my  eye ;  , 

But  the  relics  are  round  me,  the  loved  and  the  prized 

To  call  up  the  pure  and  the  sorrowful  sigh." 

This,  sir,  speaks  of  an  influence  deep  and  high.  An  influence  upon  which 
more  than  any  one  human  agency,  depends  the  destiny  of  our  country.  It 
speaks  in  language  not  to  be  mistaken,  giving  tone  and  shape  and  color  to 
the  Pulpit,  the  Press,  and  the  Forum.  It  is  the  power  behind  the  Throne 
greater  than  the  Throne  itself. 

And  now  to  the  women  present — the  women  of  Scott  county.     In   view  of 


the  extent  and  importance  of  their  influence,  may  I  not  be  allowed  to  say,  in 
the  language  of  one  of  the  gifted  of  their  own  sex — 

"  Up  woman  to  thy  duty !     Now'a 

The  day,  and  novv's  the  hour 
To  use  thy  boasted  influence — 

To  prove  thy  magic  power! 
Unloose  thy  tongue — the  word  of  trath 

That  would  a  household  save, 
If  spoken  well,  perchance  may  snatch 

A  thousand  from  the  grave! 
On  in  thy  work  with  strong  free  heart, 

Thy  mission's  from  above ! 
Tou  cannot  fail  if  you  are  true, 

For  ail  the  work  is  love  1 
And  "  God  is  Love ;"  and  woman's  sphere 

Of  love  and  hope  was  given 
To  draw  the  wanderer  from  his  sina, 

And  point  him  up  to  Heaven !" 

To  the  "Pioneer  Settlers,"  permit  me,  in  closing,  to  say,  that  the  sincere 
desire  of  my  heart  is,  that  you  may  never  lack  pride  for  your  Palaces,  or  joy 
and  sunshine  for  your  Cabins,  and  may  you  live  to  enjoy  many  such  happy 
reunions  as  this  in  future  time,  and  when  all  shall  be  numbered  with  the 
"  Pioneer  Dead,"  may  you  all  have  a  brighter  and  a  happier  reunion  in  the 
land  of  the  "  Great  Hereafter." 


VOLUNTEER   TOASTS. 

Sent  by  Laurel  Summers. 

Scott  County — Unsurpassed  in  beauty  and  fertility  of  soil ;  may  her  "  Old  Set. 

tiers  live  to  enjoy  their  annual  festivals. 

Judge  Grant  introduced  with  very  appropriate  remarks,  and  a  eulogy  upon 
his  subject — "  The  memory  of  Col.  Davenport,"  which  was  drunk  standing  and 
in  silence. 

Willard  Barrows,  Esq.,  was  next  called  upon,  and  made  a  few  impromtu 
but  heartfelt  and  pertinent  remarks.  The  present  gathering  was,  he  said,  the 
fruit  of  long  cherished  hope  on  his  part,  and  there  never  before  had  been 
a  moment  in  his  life  in  which  such  emotions  possessed  him  as  at  the  present. 
It  was  a  blending  of  the  brightened  joys,  and  softened  sorrows  and  hardships 
of  the  Past,  with  the  serene  quietness  and  social  sympathies  of  the  Present. 
They  were  thirsty  soldiers  who  had  met  by  cool  waters  after  the  hot  labor  of 
a  weary  campaign  of  years.  They  were  victors,  scarred  and  toilworn,  but 
secure  of  the  future,  and  save  a  saddened  memory,  as  here  and  there  an  old 
familiar  face  was  wanting,  and  thought  traced  its  upturned  lineaments  upon 
some  distant  battle  field,  there  was  no  cause  save  for  rejoicing. 

31 


242  DAVENPORT 


Mr.  Barrows  spoke  In  a  similar  strain  for  a  few  moments,  and  closed  his 
remarks  by  saying  that  he  felt  to-night  like  one  of  old  who  loved  her  friends, 
and  whose  memorable  words  of  affection  shall  live  forever  :  "  Entreat  me  not 
to  leave  thee  or  forsake  thee — for  whither  thou  goest,  I  will  go ;  thy  people 
shall  be  my  people,  and  thy  God  my  God — where  thou  diest  I  will  die,  and 
there  will  I  be  buried  I" — and  when  I  shall  have  gone  to  that  *'  bourne  from 
whence  no  traveler  returns,"  the  greatest  boon  I  can  ask  is,  that  my  grave 
may  be  surrounded  by  the  "  Pioneer  Settlers  Association  of  Scott  County  !" 
His  modest  fear  of  saying  too  much,  unfortunately,  overcame  the  wishes  of  his 
auditors  to  listen  to  him  longer.  It  is,  perhaps,  owing  to  him  more  than  any 
other  that  the  idea  of  an  "  Old  Settlers"  reunion  became  a  practical  fact — 
shaped  to  the  fair  and  goodly  proportions  which  it  possessed. 

All  honor  to  his  efforts,  which  resulted  so  happily,  and  may  scores  of  re- 
turning Festivals  afford  yearly  gratitude  to  his  name  as  well  as  to  those  of 
others  who  labored  to  originate  them. 

By  Col.  T.  C.  Eads: 
The  Old  Settlers  of  Scott  County — Drawn  together  by  the  indissoluble  ties  of  a 
common  fate — a  relationship  stronger  than  than  that  of  blood;  no  power, 
save  Him  who  governs  the  world,  shall  sever  the  brotherhood  till  the  last  of 
the  noble  band  shall  sink  into  an  honored  grave,  and  leave  posterity  to  say  : 
He  was  a  man. 
By  W.  Allen  : 
The  Pioneer  Settlers  of  Scott  County — May  the  noble  spirit  which  prompted  them 
to  attempt  the  civilization  of  this  magnificent  wilderness,  to  mould  and  en- 
ergize the  souls  of  their  descendants,  that  the  Creator's  grand  dei*igu  in  the 
settlement  of  this  beautiful  land  may  be  speedily  accomplished,  and  its  re- 
sults be  manifested  by  the  countless  spires  that  shall  direct  to  heaven,  from 
every  town  and  village,  the  thoughts  of  a  free  and  happy  people. 
By  a  Lady: 
Dr.  J.  J.  Burtis — The  gentlemanly  and  agreeable  proprietor  of  this  palatial 
Hotel,  may  he  be   completely  successful  in  his  benevolent  plan  for  public 
entertainment,  and  his  brightest  anticipations  be  more  than  realized. 
By  C.  C.  Altoud: 
The  Sons  and  Daughters  of  the  Old  Settlers — May  they  imitate  us  in  perseverance, 

frugality  and  industry,  and  their  seed  not  go  begging  bread. 
The  Matrons  of  this  Association — Our  help,  comfort,  and  consolation  in  every 
time  of  need,  and  the  fruits  of  their  labor  now  follow  them. 
During  these  toasts  three  hearty  cheers  were  given  for  Dr.  Burtis,  the  host. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  243 


CORRESPONDENCE. 

Bellaire,  0.,  February  8,  1858. 
Gentlemen  : — I  feel  much  complimented  by  your  remembrance  of  me,  and 
the  invitation  to  the  Festival  of  the  "  Pioneer  Settlers'  Association,"  on  the 
22d  inst.  I  regret  very  much  that  I  cannot  be  with  you  on  that  occasion — 
the  first  re-union  of  those,  still  living,  who  were  associated  in  the  founding  of 
society  in  your  county,  will  be  an  event  of  unusual  interest.  The  recollec- 
tions awakened  by  it  will  have  some  things  to  sadden,  but  more  to  excite  grat- 
ulation.  Twenty  years  make  but  a  short  period  in  the  history  of  communities  ; 
but  it  is  a  long  one  in  individual  experience,  more  especially  when  the  suc- 
cession of  events  is  a  truer  guage  of  time  than  the  change  of  seasons.  More 
than  twenty  years  have  gone  by  since  the  most  of  those  who  can  be  denom- 
inated the  Pioneers  of  Scott  county,  settled  in  what  was  then  Wisconsin  Ter- 
ritory. Since  that  time  what  changes  have  come  to  all — what  trials  to  many  1 
Some  have  passed  away  ;  but  most  of  those  remaining  are  able  to  claim  that 
the  occurrences  which  have  built  up  the  prosperity  of  your  State,  have  dealt 
kindly  with  their  individual  fortunes,  and  repaid  them  for  all  the  hardships 
and  sacrifices  they  endured  in  the  first  ten  years  of  their  pioneer  experience. 
These  are  the  considerations  which,  with  greater  or  less  intensity,  according 
to  the  respective  fortunes  that  have  attended  the  members  of  your  association, 
will  more  obviously  link  themselves  with  the  reminiscences  of  the  Festival. 
But  there  is  a  moral  point  of  view  in  which  the  retrospection  will  have  less  of 
individuality,  and,  therefore,  a  higher  and  more  refined  sense  of  gratulation. 
In  the  migration  to  that  country,  each  of  us  had  our  individual  purpose  to  ac- 
complish— some  possibly  sordid  and  narrow — others,  doubtless,  broad  and 
elevated,  with  visions  of  enlarged  usefulness  and  a  great  future  for  the  country 
they  had  adopted.  But  whatever  may  have  been  our  motives  or  dreams,  the 
seven  years  of  hard  times  which  succeeded  1837,  (operating  with  peculiar  se- 
verity upon  a  country  so  isolated  from  market  as  Iowa  then  was,)  brought 
everything  to  the  grinding  standard  of  a  struggle  for  bare  subsistence.  But 
through  all  this  struggle  and  gloom  a  great  purpose  was  being  accomplished  : 

"  Thelre  is  a  Providence  that  shapes  our  ends. 
Rough  hew  them  as  we  will." 

The  very  difficulties  of  the  country  were  preparing  it  for  a  brighter  day. 
Every  plough-furrow — every  axe-stroke  were  unwitting  but  sure  agencies  in 
the  development  of  the  country,  and  in  advancing  it  towards  that  day  of 
awakening — that  complete  and  active  civilization  of  which  the  Locomotive  is 
the  true  representative.  Twenty  years  elapsed,  and  the  struggling  pioneers  of 
Iowa  found  themselves  the  fathers  of  a  great  and  prosperous  State. 

In  the  spring  of  1835,  I  settled  upon  the  Illinois  shore,  where  Stephenson 
(now  Rock  Island,)  was  afterwards  located.    In  1836,  I  removed  to  the  w«st 


244  DAVENPORT 


side  of  the  Mississippi,  into  what  was  then  Michigan  Territory,  afterwards 
Wisconsin,  and  now  Iowa.  In  1840,  I  joined  you  in  the  organization  of  the 
Chicago  &  Rocli  Island  Railroad  Company.  These  epochs  tell  the  history  of 
my  pioneership.  In  them  I  cannot  boast  that  I  accomplished  much  for  my- 
self; but  I  thank  God  that  I  have  done  something — or  at  least  I  hope  so — for 
my  fellow-man. 

You  have  placed  two  periods,  conspicuously  different  in  themselves,  in  jux- 
taposition upon  your  card — 1840  and  1858, — Iowa  as  it  was,  and  Iowa  as  it  is. 
What  a  contrast  the  two  pictures  present!  The  rapid  colonization  of  Ohio  and 
Kentucky  were  marvels  in  their  day,  but  tl.ey  are  marvels  no  longer.  Wiscon- 
sin may  claiai  a  parallel  with  Iowa;  and  Minnesota  may  boast  a  leap  into 
Statehood  of  still  greater  apparent  vigor  ;  but  not,  when  it  is  considered  thit, 
for  the  want  of  railroad  connection  with  the  seaboard,  the  first  ten  years  of 
Iowa  were  practically  lost  to  her. 

Allow  me,  in  conclusion,  to  hope  that  there  will  be  many  and  pleasant  re- 
unions of  the  "  Pioneer  Settlers'  Association." 

Very  truly  yours,  etc., 

J.  H.  SULLIVAN. 

Fruit  Hill  Classical  Institute,  Mass., ") 
February  9th,  1858.      J 

Gentlemen  : — Your  note  and  invitation  were  transmitted  to  me  by  my 
father.  I  thank  you  very  much  for  your  kind  invitation  and  welcome.  It  is 
with  much  regret  that  I  am  obliged  to  inform  you,  that  impossibilities,  which 
cannot  be  surmounted,  will  prevent  my  joining  you  in  the  approaching  festi- 
val. But  although  I  cannot  be  present  in  person,  still  my  best  wishes  are  with 
you.  I  rejoice  that  I  am  a  Hawkeye,  and  1  feel  proud  of  the  State  of  my  na- 
tivity— may  she  continue  to  advance  as  rapidly  as  she  has  for  the  past  twenty 
years,  till  she  shall  become  the  leading  State  in  the  Union.  The  "  Pioneer 
children" — may  they  always  remain  true  to  their  native  State,  and  never  dis- 
grace the  land  of  their  birth. 

Wm.  B.  GROVER. 

Fozboro,  February  15th,  1858. 
Gentlemen  : — I  regret  very  much  that  circumstances  are  such  that  I  cannot 
comply  with  your  kind  invitation  to  attend  the  first  festival  of  the  "Pioneer 
Settlers'  Association  of  Scott  County,"  Iowa;  yet  while  absent  in  body,  let  me 
assure  you  I  shall  be  with  you  in  spirit.  It  is  a  long  time  since  I  lived  among 
you  and  then  but  eighteen  months,  yet  I  have  always  felt  an  interest  in  your 
prosperity,  and  have  kept  myself  "posted  up,"  by  taking  one  of  your  good 
papers.  My  heart  has  often  yearned  for  some  of  your  "  good  things,"  and  yet 
I  have  never  felt  that  strong  desire  to  be  one  day  with  you  as  I  now  do. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  245 


May  the  same  God  that  has  been  •with  and  highly  blessed  you,   lead  you 
safely  through  this  world  up  to  our  homes  in  the  skies. 

Yours  truly, 

E.  GROVER. 

Jacksonville,  III.,  Feb.  15,  1858. 
Gentlemen  : — T  received  a  letter  a  few  days  since  from  Mr.  W.  Barrows,  in 
which  was  enclosed  a  card  of  invitation  to  a  grand  festival  of  the  "old  folks 
at  home."  Nothing  could  afford  me  more  pleasure,  than  for  myself  and  family 
to  be  present  with  you  on  the  occasion  mentioned — to  meet  with  friends  of 
former  years,  especially  the  hardy  pioneers  whose  energy,  toil  and  efforts  have 
caused  such  wonderful  developments  in  all  that  contributes  to  the  happiness 
of  man,  would  be  a  source  of  enjoyment,  which  would  produce  feelings  in  my 
heart  of  the  most  delightful  character;  but  circumstances  beyond  my  control 
will  prevent  my  being  present — and  with  many  thanks  to  the  committee  for 
their  invitation,  I  close  with  the  following  sentiment :  "  The  pioneers  of  the 
West" — they  were  men  of  strong  nerve  and  warm  hearts  ;  by  their  sacrifice, 
toil,  and  efforts,  they  have  caused  the  solitary  places  to  be  glad,  and  the  wild- 
erness to  bloom  and  blossom  as  the  rose — may  their  memory  be  sacred  ! 

H.  W.  HIGGINGS. 

Dubuque,  Feb.  1,  1858. 
Gentlemen  : — I  have  received  an  invitation  from  the  Pioneer  Settlers'  Asso- 
ciation, of  Davenport,  to  be  present  at  their  approaching  Festival,  on  the  22nd 
of  February,  and  to  respond  to  a  toast  in  reference  to  the  "  Pioneer  Dead."  I 
regret  that  it  will  not  be  in  my  power  to  comply  with  the  request,  as  my  duties 
here  will  not  allow  me  to  be  absent  from  home  at  that  time.  It  would  give 
me  great  pleasure  to  meet  those  who  will  assemble  on  that  occasion,  and  to 
renew  old  acquaintanceship  formed  many  years  ago,  while  at  the  same  time  I 
should  experience  some  pain  from  reminiscences  of  trials  endured  in  former 
days,  and  from  the  absence  of  many  former  friends  departed.  It  was  at  Dav- 
enport that  I  first  trod  the  soil  of  my  adopted  State,  about  nineteen  years  ago. 
Your  large  and  flourishing  city  was  then  but  a  hamlet,  and  no  one  could  have 
rationally  predicted  its  present  prosperity  from  what  was  then  visible.  It  is 
one  of  the  most  pleasant  facts  in  my  history,  that  I  was  enabled,  with  a  few 
others,  to  found  the  Congregational  Church,  now  so  large  and  influential  for 
good  in  your  city.  It  is  my  sincere  desire  that  the  past  success  of  the  secular 
and  religious  enterprise  of  your  citizens  may  be  only  a  slight  earnest  of  what 
is  yet  in  store  for  them.  With  many  thanks  for  the  distinguished  honor  con- 
ferred upon  me  in  assigning  me  a  part  in  your  anticipated  exercises  on  the  oc- 
casion referred  to,  I  am, 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

JNO.  C.  HOLBROOK. 


246  DAVENPORT 


New  York,  Feb.  11,  1588. 

Gkntlemen  : — Permit  me  to  tender  my  grateful  acknowledgment  to  the 
members  of  your  association,  for  their  kind  remembrance  o€  the  "Absent 
Pioneers  of  Iowa." 

I  regret  exceedingly  that  business  will  not  permit  my  joining  you  on  the 
interesting  occasion  of  your  first  celebration,  as  it  would  give  me  intense 
pleasure  to  renew  so  many  delightful  reminiscences  of  the  past,  with  those 
whom  I  have  ever  considered  the  advance-guard  of  your  flourishing  State,  in 
her  progress  to  her  present  greatness. 

Although  I  cannot  be  with  you  in  person,  I  shall  be  particularly  interested 
in  the  event. 

May  Heaven  crown  your  feast  with  gladness,  and  grant  you  a  long  lease  of 
years,  in  which  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  your  early  labors. 

Very  truly  yours, 

E.  H.  SHEPARD. 

LeClaire,  Feb.  20,  1858. 

Hon.  James  Geant  : — Dear  Sir  :  I  am  fearful  that  I  shall  not  be  able  to 
attend  the  festival  of  the  old  pioneers  of  Scott  county  on  the  22d  inst.,  in  your 
city.  I  have  a  severe  cold,  and  am  quite  unwell  to-day — trust,  however,  I 
shall  be  better  on  Monday.  If  so,  I  shall  certainly  be  down.  After  witnessing 
the  struggles  of  the  "Old  Settlers"  for  nearly  twenty-one  years,  I  feel  like 
rejoicing  when  they  rejoice,  feasting  when  they  feast,  and  mourning  when  they 
mourn. 

In  the  event  that  I  am  too  indisposed  to  come  down,  and  there  should  be  no 
person  from  here  to  respond  to  the  twelfth  regular  toast,  please  do  so  yourself. 
I  know  I  am  safe  in  saying  that  our  people  would  feel  safe  with  their  interests 
confided  to  your  hands. 

I  think  a  good  many  of  our  old  citizens  will  be  down,  but  very  few  of  them 
are  public  speakers. 

I  send  you  a  volunteer  toast,  to  be  read  if  I  cannot  come. 

Truly  yours, 

LAUREL  SUMMERS. 

Danville,  Pa.,  Feb.  15,  1858. 

Gentlemen  : — Accept  my  thanks  for  the  card  of  invitation  to  the  "  First 
Festival  of  the  Pioneer  Association,"  and  also  for  your  kind  note  accompany- 
ing it. 

There  are  no  memories  more  cherished  and  fresh  in  my  heart  than  those  of 
my  residence  among  you,  from  1837  to  1841;  and  it  would  afi^ord  me  great 
pleasure  to  meet  with  my  old  friends  on  the  occasion  of  the  Festival,  but  I 
cannot.  My  heart  will  be  there,  however,  beating  in  unison  with  your  highest 
aspirations  for  the  future  prosperity  of  your  beautiful  city  and  county,  and  the 
long  life  and  happiness  of  all  the  pioneers. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  247 


There  is  not  in  this  great  country  a  spot  more  sacred  to  my  memory  than 
Davenport.  The  beauty  of  its  situation  ;  its  salubrity  ;  the  old  associates,  and 
familiar  faces  of  friends  are  always  present  to  my  thoughts,  and  I  never  fail  to 
speak  favorably  for  them  to  friends  here  when  the  West  is  the  subject  of  dis- 
course. Living,  as  I  do,  on  the  banks  of  the  Susquehanna,  whose  waters  are 
like  crystal,  and  surrounded  by  landscapes,  the  grandeur  and  beauty  of  which 
are  perhaps  unsurpassed,  they  seem  to  me  not  comparable  to  the  scene  from 
the  bluffs  below  Davenport,  looking  south  and  east,  and  bringing  into  our  view 
the  Twin  Cities,  the  upper  Kapids  of  the  great  Mississippi,  embracing  the 
beautiful  Rock  Island,  etc. 

It  is  a  cherished  purpose  of  my  heart  to  visit  my  once  home  at  Davenport  at  as 
early  a  day  as  possible,  when  I  hope  to  renew  many  of  my  old  friendships. 

I  have  also,  in  .the  name  of  my  wife,  and  daughter  born  in  Davenport,  to 
thank  you  for  the  invitation,  and  assure  you  that  it  would  afford  them  very 
great  happiness  to  visit  their  old  home,  and  join  the  festival. 

May  the  sun  of  prosperity  ever  shine  on  all  of  you,  until  "  gathered  as  a 
shock  of  corn  fully  ripe." 

With  sincere  regard, 

ANDREW  L.  RUSSELL. 

THE  CLOSE. 

In  response  to  a  loud  call  at  the  close  of  the  Festival,  John  P.  Cook,  Esq., 
sang  "  Oft,  in  tl  e  Stilly  Night."  It  was  finely  given,  and  warmly  applauded. 
The  sweet  voices  of  fair  women  joined  in  from  different  parts  of  the  hall,  and 
the  effect  was  delightful.  Finally,  at  1  o'clock,  "  Auld-Lang-Syne"  was  sung 
in  general  chorus,  and  the  "  Old  Settlers'  Festival"  was  a  happy  memory  of 
the  past. 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 


GEOLOGICAL  SKETCH  OP  THE  CITY  OF  DAVENPORT. 


The  external  features,  and  internal  resources  of  any  given  district  of 
country,  are  intimately  connected  with  its  future  history.  Frum  its  external 
features  we  gather  in  the  main  a  knowledge  of  those  habitable  qualities  which 
render  it  more  or  less  det*iiable  fur  civilized  abodes.  In  its  geographical 
position  we  learn  the  commercial  advantages  which  attach  to  its  location,  as 
being  accessible  or  mi-re  remote,  from  bu.«ine«s  centres. 

From  a  knowledge  of  its  internal  resources,  we  obtain  the  clearest  insif^ht 
to  its  productive  capacities,  determining  in  great  measure  the  extent  and 
character  of  its  future  population. 

Hence  it  is  that  an  accurate  geological  view  of  any  district,  affording  in- 
formation, both  as  regards  external  features  and  internal  resources,  is  import- 
ant and  useful  as  a  key  to  its  future  history. 

The  Geologic4il  substratum  upon  which  the  city  of  Davenport  is  located  is 
a  white  or  light  gray  limestone,  characterized  by  its  fossils  to  belong  to  the 
Hamilton  group  of  Devonian  Rocks.  This  limestone  crops  out  along  the  river 
banks,  of  the  upper  portion  of  the  city.  It  presents,  near  East  Davenport, 
perpendicular  cliffs,  varying  in  height  from  15  to  25  feet  above  low  water  mark  ; 
thence  occupying  the  bed  of  the  Mississippi  river,  it  forms  the  lowest  chain  in 
the  course  of  the  Rock  Island  rapids,  re-appearing  again,  similar  in  character 
on  Rock  Island  proper,  and  the  corresponding  left  bank  of  the  Mississippi. 
The  shores  of  both  banks  of  the  river  are  here  strewn  with  water-worn  pebbles 
of  this  white  limestone,  variously  mixed  with  smaller  fragments  ot  transported 
igneous  rocks,  including  agates,  cornelians,  and  numerous  forms  of  porphyry. 
This  bed  of  limestone  underlies  the  whole  city  of  Davenport,  appearing  on 
or  near  the  surface  at  its  south-eastern  border,  extending  from  East  Davenport 
to  Perry  street.  Thence  to  the  western  limits  of  the  city  it  is  more  deeply 
covered  und*r  alluvial  deposites.  This  rock,  together  with  its  alluvial  cover- 
ing, forms  a  gentle  ascending  slope  from  the  river  bank  to  the  irregular  line 
of  bluff  hills,  which  here  bound  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi.  Where  this 
rock  is  largely  developed  in  steep  mural  faces,  as  adjoining  and  just  below 
9.0 


250  DAVENPORT 


East  Davenport,  the  bluffs  approach  near  the  river  bank,  leaving  little  or  no 
space  for  bottom  levels.  This  gives  a  somewhat  rugged  character  to  this 
locality.  In  following  the  western  course  of  the  river  the  limestone  dips  lower 
beneath  the  surface,  and  the  bluffs  recede,  thus  giving  greater  width  to  the 
valley  portion  of  the  city  towards  its  western  border. 

The  bluff  formation,  attaining  an  average  elevation  of  150  feet  above  the 
river  level,  presents  on  its  outer  edge  abrupt  slopes  and  rounded  crests,  com- 
manding extensive  views  of  the  course  of  the  river  above  and  below.  Extend- 
ing back  from  the  river,  this  formation  is  cut  up  with  deeply  trenched  valleys, 
variously  branched  and  thence  emerging  on  the  upland  prairie  beyond. 

These  several  features  collectively,  combine  a  pleasing  variety  of  external 
scenery,  and  oft'er  grading  facilities  easy  of  application,  and  well  suited  for 
the  purposes  of  drainage. 

DEVONIAN    LIMESTONE   FORMATION. 

Referring  more  particularly  to  the  special  characters  of  the  formations  above 
alluded  to,  we  notice  the  underlying  limestone  strata  to  be  composed  of  a  series 
of  distinct  beds,  varying  considerably  in  structure  and  composition. 

First  of  these  in  a  descending  order  is  an  irregular  shaly  bed,  containing 
the  gre^vter  part  of  the  fossils  which  serve  to  characterize  this  formation. 
These  strata  are  more  largely  developed  to  the  south  and  west,  being  the  com- 
mon surface  rock  on  both  sides  of  the  Mississippi,  some  eight  or  ten  miles  below 
the  city,  at  and  adjoining  the  town  of  New  Buffalo.  In  this  latter  locality  the 
rocks  are  replete  with  fossils  easily  procured,  and  in  fine  state  of  preservation. 
Within  the  limits  of  the  city  this  bed  is  exposed  at  only  one  locality,  formerly 
known  as  LeClaire  quarry,  now  foot  of  Farnara  street.  The  rock  here  crops 
out  jiast  at  the  foot  of  the  bluff,  at  an  elevation  of  about  forty  feet  above  the 
river  level. 

To  this  fossiliferous  bed  succeeds  the  more  common  surface  exposure,  con- 
sisting of  a  white  or  light  colored  rock  of  slatey  texture,  weathering  on  ex- 
posure into  thin  irregular  fragments.  This  character  of  rock  shows  a  variable 
thickness  of  from  five  to  twenty  feet,  and  is  well  exhibited  at  the  lower  point 
of  Rock  Island,  forming  the  greater  part  of  the  exposed  rocky  cliff  on  which 
old  Fort  Armstrong  was  built. 

To  this  slatey  rock  succeeds  a  more  compact  bed,  mostly  massive  and  heavy 
bedded.  Its  texture  varies  from  that  of  a  close  irregular  breccia  of  light  color, 
and  exceedingly  brittle  to  loose  strata  of  blue  argilaceous  rock,  readily  disin- 
tegrating on  exposure  to  the  atmosphere.  Intermediate  to  these  we  generally 
notice  several  seams  of  a  more  earthy  gray  rock  occurring  in  even  beds,  and 
frequently  containing  masses  of  fibrous  gypsum.  These  latter  seams  furnish 
the  best  quality  of  building  rock  in  this  vicinity,  being  in  fact  the  only  rock 
suitable  for  dressing  under  the  hammer.  This  seam  is  of  very  variable  thick- 
ness, being  in  some  places  entirely  wanting,  while  in  adjoining  localities  it 
attains  a  thickness  of  several  feet.     The  main  bulk  of  the  limestone  quarries, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  251 


being  made  up  of  the  heavy  bedded  and  irregular  seamed  rock,  is  only  suit- 
able for  foundations  or  rough  ashlar  work. 

Aside  from  building  purposes  this  limestone  contains  no  minerals  of  any 
economical  value,  occasional  spabgles  of  sulphurate  of  zinc  or  moderate  sized 
crystals  of  calcareous  spar  being  the  only  nlinerals  worthy  of  note.  The 
slatey  surface  layers  are  employed  for  conversion  into  quick-lime,  but  the  pro- 
duct is  of  rather  indifferent  quality. 

One  peculiarity  of  this  limestone  formation  deserves  more  than  a  passing 
notice,  both  from  its  singularity  and  also  its  connexion  ^ith  the  subterranean 
distribution  of  water.  This  peculiarity  consists  in  the  frequent  occurrence  of 
fissures  filled  in  with  clay,  evidently  infiltrated  from  above.  These  fissures  or 
clay  seams  may  be  frequently  noticed  in  the  perpendicular  face  of  quarries, 
here  they  are  seen  interrupting  the  regular  series  of  rock  strata  with  masses  of 
grayish,  very  adhesive  clay.  These  seams  vary  in  width  from  a  few  inches  to 
several  feet,  and  are  frequently  bottle-shaped,  narrowing  above  and  bulging 
out  below.  Prof.  Hall,  State  Geologist,  is  inclined  to  the  opinion  that  this 
clay  is  cotemporaneous  with  the  underlying  fire-clay  of  adjoining  coal  meas- 
ures, and  that  these  fissures  were  filled  up  at  the  same  period  that  coal  was 
in  process  of  formation.  These  clay  seams  are  frequently  met  with  in  digging 
wells  or  deep  cellar  foundations,  in  which  situations  they  are  often  accom- 
panied with  living  springs  of  water.  From  such  sources  are  evidently  derived 
the  supplies  of  water  from  artesian  borings,  which  have  been  made  with  par- 
tial success  in  various  parts  of  the  city. 

BLUFF   FORMATION. 

The  bluff  formation  constitutes  a  well  marked  step  in  the  series  of  quarter- 
nary  deposites,  succeeding  the  drift  or  boulder  era,  and  anterior  to  the  recent 
surface  alluvium.  This  formation,  generally  of  considerable  thickness,  cor- 
responding to  the  height  of  the  bluff  hills,  forms  the  substratum  of  the  up- 
land prairies.  It  is  composed  of  a  great  variety  of  earthy  materials,  includ- 
ing finely  pulverulent  marls,  beds  of  coarse  sand  and  gravel,  aggregations 
resembling  hard-pan  or  pudding-stone,  overlaid  by  a  variable  layer  of  yellow 
clay,  and  gradually  blending  with  the  present  surface  soil.  These  several 
features  indicate  this  formation  as  resulting  from  the  deposition  of  extensive 
fresh  water  lakes,  having  variable  currents  and  mostly  shallow  waters.  Not 
unfrequeutly  well  excavations  bring  to  view  a  buried  soil  of  rich  vegetable 
mould  now  covered  up  by  twenty  feet  or  more  of  lacustrine  deposites,  con- 
taining fresh  water  shells.  This  earlier  surface  soil  supported  a  rank  arbores- 
cent vegetation,  and  is  proved  by  buried  remains,  to  have  been  the  roaming 
places  of  the  now  extinct  tribes  of  the  gigantic  Mastodon  and  Northern 
Elephant.  The  upper  clay  in  the  bluff  series,  is  everywhere  extensively  used 
for  the  manufacture  of  brick. 

A  fine  sectional  view  of  the  general  features  of  this  bluff  formation  may  be 
Been  in  the  cutting  along  the  west  side  of  Harrison  street,  opposite  Sixth  street. 


252  DAVENPORT 


CCAL. 
It  would  be  interesting,  did  space  allow  to  present  some  facts,  in  regard  to 
the  supplj  of  coal  in  this  district,  but  this  must  be  left  lor  another  occasion. 
It  will  be  sufficient  here  to  state,  that  the  only  reliable  supply  of  coal  for  this 
section  of  country  is  to  be  obtained  from  the  Rock  River  coal  basin.  This 
has  been  recently  opened  to  market  by  two  Railroads,  and  is  successfully 
worked  by  three  distinct  mining  companies.  The  present  facilities  are  sufiS- 
cient  to  meet  the  local  demand,  and  the  source  of  supply  is  ample  for  all 
future  wants. 


— '/: 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  253 


CHAPTER    XXV 


MEDICAL     TOPOGRAPHY     OF     DAVENPORT. 


Ever  since  the  influx  of  the  white  population  commenced,  Davenport  has 
been  noted  for  the  healthiness  of  its  location.  Situated  in  latitude  41j°  north 
it  has  a  climate  which  partakes  neither  of  the  extreme  severity  of  the  higher 
regions,  nor  of  the  lassitude  incident  to  more  southern  situations.  At  appro- 
priate seasons  of  the  year  it  is  decidedly  cold  or  warm,  and  is  not  subject  to 
such  intermediate  weather  as  characterizes  so  much  of  the  country  near  the 
seaboard,  and  which  is  so  prolific  in  the  elimination  of  disease  in  its  various 
forms.  The  country  on  both  sides  of  the  Mississippi,  at  the  commencement 
of  the  Upper  Rapids  and  where  the  great  Bridge  spans  the  stream,  is  marked 
by  high  bluffs  of  gradual  ascent.  LJelow,  these  elevations  recede  from  the  river, 
and  above  they  hug  it  more  closely.  On  the  Iowa  side  a  large  fan-like  plateau 
is  formed,  varying  from  a  few  hundred  yards  to  perhaps  a  mile  in  width,  gra- 
dually rising  to  the  base  of  the  hills,  none  of  it  subject  to  inundation,  and 
every  foot  of  which  is  susceptible  of  the  most  complete  drainage.  Upon  this 
the  business  portion  of  the  city  is  situated.  It  is  rarely,  if  ever,  the  case  that 
stagnant  pools  are  to  be  found  anywhere  upon  this  surface.  Hence,  miasmatic 
diseases  are  seldom  encountered  in  their  epidemic  form.  Added  to  this,  on 
account  of  the  city  being  situated  on  an  east  and  west  reach  of  the  river 
which  soon  inclines  to  the  southward  after  leaving  the  town,  the  prevailing 
winds  come  from  a  dry  and  healthy  quarter,  in  fact,  almost  directly  from  the 
rolling  prairie.  Having  reached  the  crest  of  the  bluffs,  the  country  northward 
gently  undulates  to  a  stream  called  Duck  Creek,  about  one  and  a  half  or  two 
miles  from  the  river,  and  running  parallel  with  it  the  length  of  the  cily 
bounds.  This  creek  empties  into  the  Mississippi  about  five  miles  above  the 
bridge,  and  possesses  the  peculiarity  of  seeking  its  estuary  up  the  Rapids . 
That  portion  of  the  promontory  (if  it  may  be  so  called,)  formed  by  the  streams, 
and  which  is  enclosed  within  the  municipal  limits,  is  being  rapidly  covered 


254  DAVENPORT 


•with  handsome  residences,  more  than  one  hundred  feet  above  the  water,  and 
made  accessible  by  means  of  streets.  Some  of  the  finest  and  healthiest  spots 
which  the  lover  of  ease  and  retirement  could  desire,  are  to  be  found  between 
LeClaire's  residence  and  East  Davenport,  spread  over  the  sloping  hill-sides. 
In  winter  shielded  from  the  blast  of  the  north,  and  in  summer  accessible  to 
the  refreshing  breezes  of  the  west,  with  no  marshes  or  superabundance  of  de- 
caying vegetable  matter  to  inspire  dread,  with  a  full  view  of  the  busy  river 
and  overlooking,  withal,  the  Twin-Cities,  this  portion  of  Davenport  has  always 
seemed  as  though  calculated  to  satisfy  the  most  fastidious,  and  is  destined  to 
become  the  resort  of  many  seeking  a  permanent,  desirable,  and  beautiful 
home.  Irregularities  in  living,  unnecessary  exposure,  or  any  want  of  proper 
care  as  regards  health,  will,  in  the  very  best  climate,  produce  disease.  Hence, 
medical  men  are  in  demand  the  world  over.  But,  the  fact  is  asserted,  that 
Davenport  during  the  probation  of  a  full  generation,  has  proved  its  claim  to 
being  situated  in  one  of  the  most  salubrious  atmospheres  of  which  our  coun- 
try can  boast.  The  mortality  of  the  place  is  uncommonly  small,  and  the  type 
of  disease  in  its  development,  undergoes  such  modification  as  is  agreeable 
alike  to  patient  and  practitioner.  An  accomplished  physician,  of  long  stand- 
ing, has  been  known  to  state,  that  he  never  knew  of  an  original  case  of  phthisis 
pulmonalis  in  the  city,  and  that  all  persons  affected  in  that  way,  by  residing 
in  this  locality,  have  had  their  unpleasant  symptoms  mitigated  and  their  lives 
prolonged.  The  population  is  composed  of  persons  of  regular  habits,  as  a  gen- 
eral rule ;  and  this  fact  assists  materially  in  giving  to  Davenport  its  wide-spread 
reputation  for  healthiness.  In  former  times,  when  only  a  rural  village  on  the 
Upper  Mississippi,  the  place  would  be  crowded  throughout  the  summer  months 
by  families  from  St.  Louis,  seeking  relaxation  and  enjoyment.  The  advent  of 
a  dense  population  has  deprived  the  spot  of  a  certain  charm  for  sportsmen,  but 
has  in  nowise  diminished  the  invigorating  breezes  which  gave  so  much  zest 
to  their  expeditions  in  fishing  and  fowling,  and  which,  after  all,  contributed 
the  most  to  the  enjoyment  of  life.  * 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  25t 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 


SCOTT  COUISTTY  MEDICAL  SOCIETY. 


Notice  having  been  given  througli  the  public  prints,  that  a  meeting  would  be 
held  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a  Medical  Society  for  the  County  of  Scott, 
nine  regular  members  of  the  profession  met  at  the  office  of  Drs.  Witherwax 
and  Carter,  (Third  street,  west  of  Brady,)  on  the  ]8th  of  October,  1856.  Dr. 
Jas,  Thistle  presided,  and  Dr.  Tomson  acted  as  Secretary.  Committees  were 
appointed  to  report  upon  the  several  subjects  of  Constitution  and  By-Laws, 
Code  of  Ethics,  and  Fee  Bill,  and  the  meeting  adjourned  to  meet  ten  days 
subsequently.  On  the  28th  of  October,  thirteen  physicians  met  at  the  office 
of  Drs.  Fountain  and  Adler,  (Second  street,  between  Brady  and  Main,)  re- 
ceived the  reports  of  the  respective  Committees,  adopted  a  Constitution  and 
By-Laws,  as  well  as  the  Code  of  Ethics  recommended  by  the  American  Med- 
ical Association,  and  proceeded  to  elect  the  following  permanent  officers,  to 
serve  for  one  year  : 

President,  Dr.  Egbert  S.  Barrows  ;  Vice  President,  Dr.  Lyman  Carpenter ; 
Secretary,  Dr.  J.  J.  Tomson  ;  Treasurer,  Dr.  James  Thistle,  and  Censors,  Drs. 
T.  J.  Saunders,  Jno.  M.  Adler,  and  J.  W.  H.  Baker. 

Although  regular  meetings  four  times  a  year  had  been  agreed  upon,  calling 
this  the  Anniversary,  yet  the  necessity  seemed  to  exist  for  a  special  meeting, 
and  the  members  agreed  to  meet  again  in  two  weeks.  The  Society  convened 
in  the  Young  Mens'  Literary  Association  Hall,  (Post  Office  Building,)  on  the 
11th  of  November,  Dr.  Carpenter,  Vice  President,  occupying  the  Chair.  At 
this  meeting  a  Fee  Bill  was  adopted,  and  the  members  generally  signed  the 
Constitution.  January  27th,  ISSY,  the  first  regular  quarterly  meeting  took 
place  at  the  office  of  Drs.  Fountain  and  Adler,  the  President  taking  the  Chair. 
A  resolution  was  adopted,  and  a  committee  appointed  relative  to  forming  a 
union  with  the  Rock  Island  County  Medical  Society.  Drs.  Barrows  and 
Saunders  were  elected  delegates  to  the  American  Medical  Association,  to  con- 
vene in  Nashville,  Tenn.,  the  succeeding  May.     The  second  quarterly  meeting 


256  DAVENPORT 


took  place  in  the  Council  Chamber,  at  the  corner  of  Brady  and  Third  streets, 
April  28th,  the  President  filling  the  Chair.  The  members  of  the  Rock  Island 
Medical  Society  were  admitted  as  Honorary  members,  and  entitled  to  all 
privileges,  save  voting.  Dr.  Patrick  Gregg,  former  and  first  President  of  that 
Association,  read  an  eloquent  and  instructive  address,  by  special  invitation. 
Dr.  Baker  was  appointed  to  deliver  an  essay  at  the  next,  or  a  future  meeting. 
Drs.  Fountain,  Thistle,  Carter,  Pelton,  and  Barrows,  were  appointed  delegates 
to  the  State  Society,  to  meet  at  Iowa  City  the  following  June.  The  third 
quarterly  meeting  met  at  the  Council  Chamber,  July  28th,  the  Vice  President 
in  the  Chair.  The  annual  meeting  convened  at  the  same  place,  October  27th, 
Dr.  0.  C.  Parry  presiding  at  the  morning,  and  the  Vice  President  at  the  after- 
noon session.  Resolutions  were  adopted,  making  the  annual  meeting  to  occur 
the  last  Tuesday  in  January,  and  postponing  the  election  of  officers  until  that 
period,  and  continuing  the  existing  organization.  A  committee,  consisting  of 
Drs.  Carter,  Thistle,  and  Adler,  was  appointed  to  revise  the  Constitution  and 
By-Laws.  The  annual  meeting  assembled  at  the  same  place  January  26th, 
1858,  Dr.  Fountain  presiding.  The  afternoon  session  (vas  held  at  the  office  of 
Dr.  Baker,  the  same  gentleman  in  the  Chair.  Officers  for  the  year  were 
elected  as  follows  : 

President,  Dr.  Th.  J.  Saunders  ;  Vice  President,  Dr.  James  Thistle  ;  Secretary, 
Dr.  A.  H.  Ames  ;  Treasurer,  Dr.  J.  J.  Tomson  ;  Censors,  Drs.  J.  W.  H.  Baker, 
E.  J.  Fountain,  and  Jno.  M.  Adler.  Dr.  Baker  read  an  Essay,  agreeably  to 
appointment.      Dr.  C.  C.  Parry  was  appointed  Essayist  for  the  next  meeting. 

The  number  of  members  at  the  present  time  is  about  twenty,  three-fourths 
of  whom  reside  in  the  city  of  Davenport.  The  object  of  the  Society  is  "  to  pro- 
mote the  diffusion  of  true  Medical  Science  among  its  members,  and  to  elevate 
the  character  of  the  profession  in  the  community."  At  the  various  meetings 
many  interesting  cases  have  been  brought  forward  and  discussed,  calculated 
to  impart  instruction,  and  a  general  basis  of  action  has  been  instituted,  the 
efiTect  of  which  will  be,  to  define  the  rights  and  duties  of  practitioners  agree- 
ably to  the  rules  and  regulations  laid  down  by  the  highest  medical  authority 
of  the  country.  Among  a  newly  settled  people,  baneful  irregularities  are  apt 
to  be  imputed  to  the  profession  generally,  unless  there  is  an  organization, 
zealous  in  its  guardianship  of  the  portals  of  Medicine.  Without  there  is  a 
charmed  line  over  which  mere  empirics  cannot  pass,  and  which  is  constantly 
kept  visible  to  the  public  eye,  the  votaries  of  Science  have  to  suffer  deprecia- 
tion by  being  classed  with  irresponsible  practitioners,  noted  only  for  the  ex- 
cess of  their  ignorance,  and  the  audacity  of  their  pretensions.  Already  are 
the  effects  to  be  seen,  of  a  close  combination  on  the  part  of  those  properly 
qualified  for  taking  upon  themselves  the  responsibility  for  practising  the  heal- 
ing art.  Uniformity  of  action,  courteous  relations,  and  a  keen  desire  to  pro- 
mote the  general  welfare,  are  apparent  among  the  members,  and  the  prospect 
now  is,  that  the  medical  corps  of  Davenport  and  vicinity  will  stand  at  no 
distant  day  pre-eminent  in  the  valley  of  the  Upper  Mississippi. 


JIIIP-..,.- 

1  m  m  m  •  .■  M  H  '^ 


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«  I  i  I 


"*i':;|i'w!lw!;,;-''!f;|ifr  '■■'f'M^ii 


DAVENPORT'S    BLOCK, 


CORNER    MAIN    AND    SECOND    STREETS. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  257 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 


MANUFACTURES  AND  INDUSTRIAL  PRODUCTS. 


ARCHITECTS, 


W.  L.  Carboli,,  in  Grigg's  Block.^-Mr.  Carroll  has  designed  some  of  the 
finest  public  and  private  structures  in  the  city,  among  which  are  Iowa  College, 
Engine  House,  Grigg's  Block,  Haviland's  and  H.  H.  Smith's  residences,  School 
Houses  in  Districts  4  and  7 ;  besides  a  host  of  School  and  Court  Houses, 
Churches,  and  Private  Dwellings  in  various  parts  of  the  Country.  His  claims 
to  superiority  are  scarcely  questioned  in  the  West. 

J.  L.  Cochrane. — Among  Mr.  Cochrane's  best  efforts  are  Metropolitan  Hall ; 
Lambrite's  residence ;  St.  Luke's  churcli,  superintended  by  Squires  ;  and 
Willard  Barrows'  residence. 

Octave  Roberts. — NickoUs'  Block. 

BAKERIES. 

"Philadelphia  Bakery,"  Schiucker  &  Matthes. — Brady  street,  betweea 
Front  and  Second  streets. 

"Union  Bakery,"  J.  Mbtzger. — No.  18  Second  street. — Capital,  $3,000- 
Raw  Material  per  year,  $6,000.  Value  manufactures  per  year,  $10,000. 
Established  18.")4. 

D.  MooRB. — 20  Front  st. — Capital,  $5,000.  Raw  material  per  year,  $8,000. 
Established  1842.  This  was  the  first  one  of  the  sort,  of  note,  established  in 
Davenport.     The  old  house  was  lately  burned,  but  is  being  rebuilt. 

F.  ZAiiRftER. — 149  Fourth  street. — Five  hands. 

W.  Rape's  "Pacific  Bakery. — Harrison  street. 

There  are  several  smaller  Bakeries  in  town,  not  enumerated. 

33 


258  DAVENPORT 


BARRELS. 

Jones,  Chapin  &  Co. — Corner  Fifth  and  Fillmore  streets. — Employ  twenty 
hands,  and  turns  out  from  1000  to  1200  per  week. 

J.  M.  D.  Burrows. — Oo  Telegraph  Road. — Twenty-eight  men  turn  out  about 
75,000  flour  barrels  per  year,  besides  a  large  amount  of  pork  cooperage. 

Wilson,  Pkrry  &  Co. — Corner  of  Bridge  Avenue  and  Front  streets. — Run  a 
twelve  horse  power  engine.  Employs  fifteen  to  twenty  hands  at  $3  per  diem. 
Capital  $5,000.  Use  in  raw  material  per  year  $20.000.  Value  of  manufactures 
per  year  $35,000.     Established  185*7. 

There  are  three  other  Cooper  Shops  in  the  city  besides  the  foregoing,  and 
also  one  patent  Wash-Tub  and  a  Chair  Factory. 

BLACKSMITHS. 

H.  A.  Kent. — Alley  opposite  Post  Office. — A  carriage  shop  attached  by 
John  Murphey. 

Some  dozen  shops  in  town. 

BOOTS    AND    SHOES. 

Moore  &  Garrett. — 43  Brady  street. — Capital  $1,500.  Raw  material  per 
year  $3  500.     Product  $10,000.     Established  1854. 

F.  H.  Griggs  &  Co.— 25  Brady  street.— Capital  $1  500.  Value  of  raw  ma- 
terial per  year  $3,500.  Product  $10,000.  Employ  ten  hands  at  the  aggregate 
cost  of  $3,500  per  annum.  Mr.  Griggs  deserves  honorable  mention  for  the 
use  he  has  made  of  his  capital.  He  has  invested  it  liberally  in  city  improve- 
ments, among  which  are  some  fine  brick  buildings,  known  as  "Griggs  Block." 
His  investments  have  all  tended  to  build  up  and  ornament  the  city,  and  to 
contribute  materially  to  its  permanent  prosperity. 

D.  B.  Carleton. — 96  Brady  street. 

C.  Staiil.  —  Harrison  street. 

T.  0.  Russell. — Main  stn  et. 

A.  Galleu. — 54  Perry  street. 

H.  Fuhlendorff. — Main  street  near  Second. 

J.  M.  Skllen. — Corner  Second  and  Harrison  streets. — Employs  14  hands. 

J.  C.  To»D.— 84  Brady  street. 

Asht'N  &  Freeman. — Brady  street,  above  Post  Office. 

Fuller  &  Hubbard. — Second  street,  near  Metropolitan  Block. — This  firm 
has  the  reputation  of  doing  as  good  work,  and  of  possessing  as  much,  or  more 
enterprise  in  their  peculiar  df^partment,  than  any  other  firm  in  the  West. 
Their  work  is  of  tihe  very  best  order,  and  afforded  at  prices  which  will  com- 
pMre  honorably  with  the  best  Eastern  establishments. 

There  are  many  other  establishments  of  this  kind  in  town. 


VAST  AND  PRESENT.  25U 


BREWERIES. 

Matthias  Frahm.— Harrison  street. — Capital,  $30,000.  Use  yearly  10,000 
bushels  Barley,  and  8,000  pounds  Hops.  Brew  4,000  barrels  Beer,  worth 
$36,000.  Established  1851.  The  first  year  the  establishnaent  brewed  150 
barrels  Beer,  and  used  only  some  350  bushels  Barley.  It  is  one  of  the  largest 
Breweries  in  this  State. 

Dr.  T.  Drkis. — Main  street,  above  seventh. 

Thos.  B.  Carter's  Ale  and  Porter  Brewery. — Near  East  Davenport. 

BRICK    YARDS. 

Bakek  &  Clark. — Harrison  street,  between  seventh  and  eighth  streets. — 
Capital  $3  000.  Employ  twenty  men.  Made  130,000  last  year,  worth  $9,200. 
Use  Hall  &  Adams  Press,  a  decided  improvement  on  the  old  system.  Intend 
to  double  their  operations  this  year. 

There  are  three  yards  in  the  western  part  of  the  town,  in  rear  of  J.  M.  D. 
Burrows'  residence,  and  employ  from  fifty  to  sixty  hands. 

Jxo.  RocEE. — Gaines  street. — Made  140,000  last  year.     Twenty  hands. 

Harvey  Leonard  commenced  making  Bricks  in  Davenport,  in  June  83  7, 
made  about  300,000 ;  in  1838  made  about  500,000 ;  in  1839  made  about  500,000 ; 
in  1840  made  about  800,000;  in  1841  made  about  500,000;  in  1842  made 
about  500,000;  in  1843  made  about  100,000;  in  1844  made  about  200,000  ; 
in  1845  made  about  200,000;  in  184G  made  about  500,000;  in  1847  made 
about  600,000;  in  1848  made  about  600,000;  in  1849  made  about  600,000; 
in  1850  made  about  300,000. — Leonard  &  Hebert  in  1851  made  about  1,400,000; 
in  1852  made  about  1,500,000;  in  1853  made  about  1,500,000. — Leonard  in 
1854  made  about  1,200,000;  in  1855  made  about  1,200,000.— Leonard  & 
Hebert  in  1856  made  about  1,300,000;  in  185'7  made  about  1,300,000. — Com- 
menced in  1838  laying  brickj  in  1839,  Eldrid  &  Leonard  Brick  Laying  and 
Plastering.  1840  making,  laying,  and  plastering.  During  that  period  burned 
very  nearly  all  the  lime  used  in  the  city.  The  number  of  hands  employed 
ranges  from  six  to  sixty  ;  common  laborers  wages  by  the  month  from  twenty 
to  thirty  ''oUars;  brick  layers  wages  ranging  from  two  to  three  dollars  per 
day.  The  first  brick  building  in  the  city  was  built  by  Leonard,  in  1838,  on  the 
corner  of  third  and  Main  streets  ;  the  second  brick  building  (the  Catholic 
church)  built  by  Adam,  John,  and  Joseph  Noel.  During  the  first  six  years  of 
the  time  Mr.  Leonard  did  all  the  brick  work  done  in  the  city,  among  which 
were  the  Court  House,  Jail,  LeChxire  House,  and  Macklot  and  Webb's  dwellings. 
Leonard  &  Hebert's  brick  yard  is  now  situated  on  James  Mcintosh's  land,  west 
of  Scott  street  and  north  of  eighth  street,  within  the  city  limits. 

H.  Del^s. — Fourteen  men.     Makes  about  90,000  per  year. 


260  DAVENPORT 


CARPENTRY. 

D.  T.  Young. — Second  street,  above  Rock  Island  street. — Capital  $6,000. 
Value  of  manufactures  per  year  $12,000.  Employs  fifteen  men  at  $10  to  $15 
per  week. 

John  A.  Nikrau. — Corner  Fourth  and  Gaines  sts. — Value  of  manufactures 
per  year  $4,000. 

Davis,  Bro.  &  Fraser. — On  Perry  street  above  Fourth. — This  firm,  although 
lately  come  to  Davenport,  have  established  a  wide  reputation  for  excellence  in 
their  craft ;  particularly  in  the  diflBcult  department  of  stair-building,  in  which 
they  have  no  rivals.  All  are  practical  and  excellent  draughtsmen,  and  possess 
in  connection  with  their  practical  skill,  in  wood-work  a  thorough  scientific 
knowledge  of  architecture.  One  of  the  best  specimens  of  their  work  may  be 
seen  in  a  counter  at  the  Banking  House  of  Messrs.  Hill,  Allen  &  Co.,  which  is 
by  far  the  best  specimen  of  fine  workmanship  in  the  West. 

James  Crawford. — Corner  Iowa  and  Second  street. 

E.  T.  &  E.  L.  Johnson. — Second  street,  between  Rock  Island  and  Perry. 
Okndorf  Brothers. — Carpenters  and  Builders,  on  Main  street  between  Fifth 

and  Sixth. 

Jacob  Kenton. — On  Main  street,  in  rear  of  Judge  Grant's  Block. 

J.  RoMBOLD,  Jr. — On  alley  rear  of  Congregational  church. 

I.  N  Field  &  Sanders. — On  Perry  street,  between  Second  and  Third  sts. — 
This  firm  have  done  some  very  fine  Jobs,  one  of  which  is  the  counter  in 
Jacoby's  Drug  Store. 

Coates  &  Patchen. — Alley  between  Fifth  and  Sixth,  and  between  Brady 
and  Perry  streets. 

John  Hawley. — Corner  Main  and  Park  streets. 

W.  S.  Collins. — Opposite  Trinity  Church,  Rock  Island  street. 

F.  H.  McClelland. — Corner  Rock  Island  and  Second  streets. 

John  Hornby. — On  Bluffs,  Sixth  street,  between  Main  and  Brady  streets. 

G.  W.  Hall. — Third  street,  between  Ripley  and  Scott  streets. 
P.  X.  FiTZPATRiCK. — Near  Jail,  on  Fifth  street. 

H.  &  J.  GauDAKER. — On  Iowa  street,  between  Second  and  Third  streets. 
N.  Squiers. — Oldest  Builder  in  Davenport,  and  Superintendent  of  St.  Luke's 
Church. 

Noel  &  Marget. — Corner  Harrison  and  J'ront  streets. 

J.  B.  Davis. — Sixth  street,  between  Rock  Island  and  Perry  streets. 

L.  R.  Allen. — Boards  at  "  Pennsylvania  House." 

CARRIAGE  AND  WAGON  MAKING. 

Andrews  &  Burr. — Fourth  street,  between  Brady  and  Perry. — Large  first 
class  eastern  establishment,  with  heavy  branch  establishment  on  Secgnd  street, 
between  Rock  Island  and  Iowa  streets. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  261 


G,  Hagek  &  Co.— Third  street  near  Harrison.— Capital  $7  000.  Employ 
twelve  hands  at  $1.50  per  diem.  Raw  material  per  year  $1,000.  Value  of 
product  $10,000. 

Saddler  &  Horseman. — Corner  Gaines  and  Front  streets. 

A.  &  G.  WoEBER. — Corner  Harrison  and  Third  streets. — Among  the  best,  if 
not  the  best,  workmen  in  the  West  in  every  department  of  their  trade.  Their 
work  will  bear  comparison  with  the  finest  ever  turned  out  from  eastern  work- 
shops. Capital  $8000.  Eighteen  hands,  at  $1.50  per  day.  Produced  last 
year  $40,000.     Established  1854. 

Keuse  &  EcKHARDT. — Comer  Second  and  Gaines  streets. 

Goos  &  Leisner. — Gaines  street,  north  of  Third. 

Schmidt  &  Rodler. — Second  street,  near  Scott. 

Rhode  &  Finke. — Harrison  street,  below  Second. 

C.  Stelting. — Scott  street,  near  Second. 

CIGARS. 

H.  Haak  &  Co. — Second  street  between  Harrison  and  Ripley. 

Nicholas  Kuhnen. — 34  Second  street,  and  also  one  corner  Main  and  Second 
streets. — Manufactures  $12,000  worth  per  year. 

Jeffbet  &  Carmichael. — 42  Second  street. — Manufacture  yearly  1,200,000 
Cigars,  at  $25  per  thousand.  Brand  50,000  papers  Smoking  Tobacco,  and 
brand  5,000  cases  Chewing  Tobacco  a  year. 

Kasten. — Main  street,  between  Front  and  Second. 

There  are  many  other  shops  in  town,  of  whom  space  will  not  allow  us  to 
particularize. 

C  ONFECTIONERY. 

Dr.  C.  Pierrucci. — 60  Brady  street. 
E.  Bailt.— 86  Brady  street. 

DAGUERREOTYPES. 

Adams — Photographist,  Ambrotypist,  and  Daguerrean,  on  Brady  street  near 
Third. — This  is  one  of  the  best  establishments  west  of  Buffalo.  Mr.  Adams 
Photographed  the  Portraits  for  this  work.     They  speak  for  themselves. 

Taylor's  Gallery. — Davenport's  Block. 

W.  A.  Nesbit. — Corner  of  Brady  and  Second  streets. — Sphereotypist  and 
Daguerrean. 

Schuler's  Daguerrean  Rooms. — On  Main  street,  next  to  Nickolls'  Block. 

DENTISTS. 

Chas.  Goodrich,  Dental  Surgeon. — On  Brady  st.,  two  doors  below  Third. — 
Dr.  Goodrich  has  taken  high  rank  in  his  profession  as  a  careful  and  skilful 


262.  DAVENPORT 


operator.  He  has  undergone  the  test  of  many  years  experience,  and  has  in 
all  cases,  thus  far,  proved  himself  superior  iu  all  matters  relating  to  operative 
Dentistry. 

James  Morrow. — On  Fourth  st.,  near  Main. — Dr.  Morrow  is  of  an  inventive 
mind,  artistic  in  his  taste,  and  prepared  to  execute  everything  in  a  superior 
manner. 

Julius  Cheseerough. — In  Merwin's  Block. 

R.  D.  Myers. — On  Second  street  near  Perry  street. 

C.  ,H.  Bartlett. — Corner  Brady  and  Fourth  streets. 

DRUGS    AND    MEDICINES. 

Francis  .Jacoby. — Corner  Perry  and  Fourth  streets. — Mr.  Jacoby  has  one  of 
the  finest  Drug  Stores  in  town,  and  the  elegant  external  and  internal  character 
of  his  establishment,  together  with  a  skilful  Prescriptiouist,  indicates  fully  the 
fact,  that  his  arrangements  are  all  of  a  superior  order. 

Tayloe  &  Ballord. — LeClaire  Block. 

W.  W.  McCammon  &  Co.,  "  Union  Drug  Store." — On  Brady  street,  between 
Second  and  Third. — This  is  a  fii'st  class  establishment,  and  is  under  the  su- 
perintendence of  Mr.  Reger,  whose  ripe  skill  in  putting  up  prescriptions  is 
the  result  of  long  and  close  experience. 

Stephenson  &  Carnahan. — LeClaire  Block. 

Allison  &  McBride. — On  Second  street,  next  to  Cook  &  Sargent's  Bank. 

Ditzen  &  Co. — 97  Second  street. 

FLOUR    MILLS. 

J.  M.  D.  Burrows,  "Albion  Mills." — Corner  Front  and  Perry  sts. — Engine 
140  horse  power.  Established  in  1847,  and  commenced  January  1848,  with  a 
capacity  of  manufacturing  1200  barrels  per  week.  In  1855  it  was  remedied 
and  rebuilt,  with  a  capacity  of  turning  out  2500  barrels  per  week.  Manu- 
factured the  past  year  80,000  barrels  flour,  at  an  average  value  of  $4.50  per 
barrel.     Hiram  Johnson,  head  miller. 

D.  A.  Burrows. — On  River,  foot  of  Mound  st. — Engine  sixty  horse  power. 
Capital  $65,000.  Raw  material  per  year  $300,000.  Employ  twenty-eight 
hands  at  $1  50  per  day. 

GiLLET,  Green  &  Co. — Front  street  below  Ripley. — Capital  $16,000.  Grind 
per  year  50.000  bushels.     Established  1854.     Two  engmes,  sixty  horse  power. 

Graham  &  Kepner. — On  River,  foot  of  Mound  street. — Engine  fifty  horse 
power.  Ten  hands.  Coat  of  wheat,  coal,  barrels,  hands,  &c.,  per  year 
$99,300.  Turn  out  30,000  barrels  flour  per  year,  $120,000.  Value  of  bran, 
shorts,  &c.,  $13,000. 

"  Hawkeye  Mills,"  by  Jacob  Weaver. — Corner  Perry  and  Third  streets. — 
Engine  twenty  horse  power.     Capital  $6,000.     Turn  out  200  barrels  a  week. 


I 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  263 


FURNITURE. 

John  Collins. — Front  street,  east  of  Perry. — Engine  ten  horse  power.  Cap- 
ital $9,000  Raw  material  per  year  $20,000.  Value  of  manufactures  per 
year  $40,000.     Eighteen  hands,  at  $1.50  to  $2.50  per  day. 

Knostman,  Timpke  &  Co. — Corner  Housel  and  Second  streets. — Engine  six 
horse  power.  Capital  $3,000.  Raw  material  per  year  $6,000.  Employ  seven 
hands  at  $1  to  $1.50  per  day.  Building,  three  rooms,  and  contemplate  en- 
larging soon.     All  of  the  firm  are  practical  mechanics. 

Wm.  Campbell,  CaHinet  and  Jobbing  Shop. — In  alley  opposite  Post  Office. 

J.  B.  Riches,  Prospect  Turning  Shop. — Gaines  street,  corner  of  Seventh. — 
Engine  six  horse  power. 

P.  P.  Sdmons.  —  On  River,  near  foot  of  Bridge  Avenue. —  Manufactures 
"Excelsior  Mattress  Material."     Engine  ten  horse  power. 

John  Wierum,  Turning  Shop. — Gaines  street,  between  Third  and  Fourth. — 
Engine  fifteen  horse  power. 

J.  K.  Mills  &  Co. — Corner  Farnam  and  Third  streets. — Employ  forty  men. 
Wages  per  year  $22,000,  at  $1.75  per  day,  per  hand.  Capital  $40,000.  Value 
of  furniture  per  year,  $16,000.  Planing,  $7,700.  Sash,  blinds,  and  doors, 
$11,000.  Job  work,  $2,800.  Total  value  of  manufactures,  per  year,  $37,000. 
Engine  twenty-five  horse  power.  Their  Agencies  at  Iowa  City  and  Rock 
Island,  sell  also  a  large  amount  flooring,  siding,  and  other  lumber.  Machinery, 
one  engine  lathe,  three  turning  lathes,  one  scroll  saw,  moulding  machine,  three 
plowers,  sticking  machine,  split  saw,  six  cii^cular  saws,  two  tenanting  saws ; 
two  morticing,  two  boring,  and  one  dovetailing  machine  ;  screw  cutter  and 
turning  machine. 

McNeil  &  Bbo. — Corner  Second  and  Perry  streets. 

FURRIERS. 

Julius  Koch. — Harrison  street. 

M.  H.  Heidenheimek. — 11  Main  street. 

HATS    AND    CAPS. 

A.  B.  Alston. — Davenport  Block,  Second  street. 
C.  W.  Vekder, — Second  stree:),  near  Brady. 

IRON    WORKS    AND    MACHINERY. 

"Davenport  Steam  Gas  and  Lead  Pipe  Works,  and  Brass  Foundry,"  by 
P.  Merwin. — 81  and  83  Perry  street. — Gas  and  Steam  Fitting,  Plumbing,  &c., 
in  all  its  various  branches;  Brass  Goods  of  every  description  manufactured 
to  oraer.  Also,  on  hand  and  ready  to  be  just  put  up  at  short  notice.  Chan- 
daliers.  Pendants,  Shower  Baths,  Wash  Basins,  Brackets,  Glass  Globes,  Bath 
Tubs,  Water  Tanks,  &c.     The  attention  of  Machinists,  Engine,  and  Boiler 


264  DAVENPORT 


Builders,  is  invited  to  the  large  assortment  of  Brass  and  Iron  Fitting  con- 
stantly on  hand,  such  as  Safety  Valves,  Steam  Guages,  Water  Guages,  Guago 
Cocks,  Globe  Valves,  Oil  Valves,  Heaters,  Boiler  Pumps,  Oil  Cups,  Regulator 
Valves,  Check  Valves,  Whistles,  &c.  Wrought  Iron  Pipe,  with  all  kinds  of 
Fittings  for  connecting  Boilers,  Engines,  Pumps,  &c.,  fitted  to  order  and  sent 
to  any  part  of  the  country  ready  to  connect.  Pipe  and  Fittings  supplied  to 
the  trade  on  reasonable  terms. — Mr.  Merwin  deserves  honorable  notice  for  the 
enterprise  he  has  exhibited.  He  is  but  a  young  man,  has  invested  in  a  fine 
brick  building,  and  furnished  it  as  noticed  above.  This  establishment  is  the 
only  one  of  the  kind  in  the  State,  and  is  in  all  respects  of  a  high  character. 

F.  B.  Abbott,  Machine  Shop,  and  mp.nufacturer  of  Carter's  Patent  Oscilla- 
ting Engine  Pumps. — LeClaire  street,  near  Third. — Double  engine,  six  horse 
power.     Capital  $15,000.     Mostly  a  Repairing  and  Jobbing  Shop. 

"Excelsior  Agricultural  Works,  and  Machine  Shop,"  John  Herrman. — 
Gaines  street,  between  Third  and  Fourth  sts. — Capital  $1,000.  Manufactui'es 
Agricultural  Implements  principally.  Mowing  and  Reaping  Machines,  Straw 
and  Stalk  Cutters,  Corn  Shellers,  &c. 

Davis,  Watson  &  Co.,  "  Washington  Machine  Works." — Corner  Third  street, 
near  Railroad  Bridge. — Capital  $25,000.  Raw  material  used  per  year,  $16,000. 
Manufactures  $40,000.  Employ  twenty  hands,  at  $2  per  day.  Engine  twenty- 
four  horse  power.  Pitts'  Patent  Thrashing  Machine,  turn  out  two  to  three  per 
week. 

John  Annable  &  Son,  Screw  Bolt  Manufactory. — LeClaire  St.,  near  Third. — 
Make  from  2000  to  3000  Bolts  per  day,  besides  Jobbing.  Business  for  last 
vear  $2,000.     Not  much  capital  required  in  the  business. 

Jemme,  Donnelly  &  Lea,  "  Davenport  Iron  Works." — Rock  Island  street,  near 
Second. — Engine  twenty  horse  power.  Do  a  large  business  in  heavy  machinery 
and  house  building  castings.  Capital  $18,000.  Raw  material  per  year  $15,000. 
Value  of  manufacturies,  per  year.  $100,000.  Employ  fifty-five  hands.  Esta- 
blished 1856.  Attached  tc  the  establishment  are  a  Blacksmith  Shop,  Brass 
Foundry,  and  Pattern  Shop.  One  of  the  heaviest  establishments  of  the  kind 
in  the  State. 

S.  Miller,  Machine,  Jobbing,  and  Repairing  Shop. — Gaines  st.,  near  Second. 

TowNSEND,  Smith  &  Co. — Fourth  street,  opposite  Catholic  Cemetery. — En- 
gine eight  horse  power.     Make  Oscillating  Engines,  &c. 

"Mississippi  &  Missouri  Railroai  Locomotive  Works  and  Car  Factory." — 
At  Railroad  Depot. — Engine  sixty  horse  powpr.  A.  Kimball,  Foreman  of 
Machine  Works  ;  M.  Wright,  Foreman  of  Smithry  ;  and  S.  W.  Remer,  Foreman 
of  Car  Works.  Capital  $54,000.  Raw  material,  per  year,  $10.000.  Esta- 
blished 1856. 

"LeClaire  Machine  Works,"  corner  Front  and  Scott  streets. — This  is  the 
oldest  Foundry  in  town;  was  built  by  LeClaire  &  Davenport  in  1851,  and 
owned  by  them  until  1856,  when  it  vas  bought  by  Mr.  Donahue,  its  present 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  265 


proprietor.  The  Machine  Shop  is  leased  by  Townsend,  Hays  &  (.o..  while 
the  Foundry  is  carried  on  by  Mr.  Donahue.  Capital  $50,000,  Forty ia in  d 
at  $30,000  per  annum.  Mantjfactures  per  year  $150,000.  Raw  material  per 
year  $30,000.     Engine  thirty  horse  power. 

W.  Skinner  &  Co.,  "  Davenport  Plow  Factory." — Corner  Rock  Island  and 
Third  streets. — Engine  twenty  horse  power.  This  establishment  was  started 
in  1846  by  John  Bechtel,  better  known  as  '^Honest  John."  It  is  now  the 
largest  establishment  in  the  State,  and  has  established  a  wide  reputation  for 
the  superiority  of  its  workmanship,  aud  the  excellence  of  many  improvements 
introduced  by  the  inventive  genius  of  Mr.  Skinner.  He  has  made  many  re- 
markable and  decided  improvements  in  his  line  of  business.  Capital  $25,000. 
Raw  material,  per  annum,  $20,000.  Value  of  manufactures,  per  year,  $45,000. 
Thirty  hands,  at  $2  per  day.  Made  last  year,  3,500  Plows,  200  Cultivators, 
200  double  and  single  Shovel  Plows,  Harrows  Horse-rakes,  &c. 

J.  Whitson  &  Co.,  "Massillion  Machine  Works." — Front  st.,  near  Famam. 
Engine  20  horse  power.     Makers  of  Massillon  Threshing  Machines,  &c. 

LIVERY    AND    SALE    BUSINESS. 

Parker  &  Spearing. — 13  Second  street,  opposite  LeClaire  Row. Forty 

horses,  with  proportionate  number  of  vehicles.  Run  two  Omnibusses  and  one 
four  horse  Hack  to  DeWitt  to  connect  C.  I.  &  N.  R.  R.  This  is  by  far  the 
largest  Livery  establishment  in  the  city,  and  possesses  accommodations  in  its 
line  of  the  very  first  character.  They  have  some  of  the  finest  carriages 
sleighs,  and  the  most  elegant  turnouts  in  the  West.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  notice 
the  fact,  that  their  efforts  to  obtain  excellence  in  their  department  are  fully 
appreciated  by  the  public,  as  is  evinced  in  the  amount  of  business  done  by 
them. 

High  &  Co. — Harrison  street,  next  to  Scott  House. — Twenty-five  horses  and 
other  accommodations  to  match.  The  Messrs, High  &  Co.  have  heretofore  de- 
servedly reaped  a  large  amount  of  public  patronage,  from  the  fact,  that  they 
never  fail  in  their  efforts  to  give  satisfaction.  Their  "rigs"  are  unexception- 
able, and  their  drivers  the  neplus  ultra  of  the  Jehu-ic  stamp.  For  a  tramp  or 
a  hunting  tour  across  the  glorious  prairie-country  back  of  our  city,  there  is  no 
better  companion,  bon  vivant,  or  careful  driver,  than  either  of  the  gentlemen 
of  the  firm,  as  the  author's  experience  can  testify. 

H.  Smith. — Alley  opposite  Post  Office. — Twenty  horses. 

Thomson  &  Hill. — 55  Second  street. — Fifteen  horses,  three  carriaf^es  six 
buggies,  and  two  riding  horses. 

J.  J.  SoMERS  &  Co. — Main  street,  between  Third  and  Fourth. Six  horses 

two  open  and  two  top  buggies,  and  one  carriage. 

J.  H.  Camp  &  Co. — Harrison  street,  between  Second  and  Third. Fourteen 

horses,  and  eight  carriages. 

84 


266  '  DAVENPORT 


There  is  also  a  Livery  nnd  Sale  stable  in  the  Alley  in  rear  of  LeClaire  House, 
besides  one  other  stable  in  town. 

This  business  is  perhaps  one  of  the  best  paying  in  the  West.  Prices  ranRe 
from  three  to  five  dollars  per  day,  for  single  horse  and  carriage,  -without 
drivers;  and  six  to  ten  dollars  with  driver.  Double  teams  are  from  five  to  ten 
dollars  per  day,  with  or  without  driver. 

LUMBER    BUSINESS. 

S.  T.  Allen,  Saw  Mill  with  Lath  Machine. — Corner  Warren  and  Front  sts. — 
Engine  forty  horse  power.     Lately  burned  down. 

BuRNELL,  GiLLET  &  Co.,  Saw  Mill,  Sash,  Door,  and  Blind  Factory,  with  Lath 
and  Shingle  Machine  attached.— Corner  Scott  and  Front  streets. — Two  engines, 
one-hundred  horse  power.  Capital  $125,000.  Manufacture  yearly  G,  000,000 
feet  Lumber,  3,000,000  Lath,  4,000,000  Shingles,  at  a  total  value  of  $160,000. 
Doors,  Sash,  and  Blinds,  per  year,  $15,000.  Employ  ninety  hands,  at  an 
average  of  $1.65  per  day.  Established  1850.  Machinery,  two  upright  and 
two  rotary  saws  ;  can  saw  50,000  feet  per  day,  of  twelve  hours. 

Cannon  &  French,  Saw  and  Plaining  Mill,  Sash,  Door,  and  Blind  Factory. — 
On  River  near  Myrtle  street. — Engine  eighty  horse  power.  Capital  lYS.OOO. 
Employ  eighty  hands,  three  Salesmen,  and  one  Bookkeeper.  Real  Estate 
$50,000.  Cost  of  logs  for  past  year  (4,014, 770  feet,)  $43,635.  Labor  for  year, 
$18,000.  Value  of  product  from  April  4th,  1857,  to  December  19th,  1857, 
$91,045.  Sales  for  past  year  $112,202.88.  Manufactured  from  April  4th,  '57, 
to  December  19th,  1857,  1,721,100  Lath;  sawed  Shingles,  1,019,500;  shaved 
Shingles,  695,000 ;  Pickets  sawed,  25,400.  Machinery,  one  Muley,  one  Rotary, 
one  Lathing,  and  one  Slab  Saw ;  Shingle  Machine ;  Norcross'  Patent  Planing 
Mill,  for  dressing  Flooring ;  one  Siding  Saw,  and  Farwis'  Patent  Planing  Mill 
for  two  inch  lumber. 

Cotes  &  Davies,  Lumber  Dealers  and  Manufacturers  of  Sash,  Doors,  Blinds, 
and  dressed  Lumber.— Corner  Harrison  and  Fourth  streets. — Established  1851. 
Capital  $75,000.  Thirty  hands,  at  $1.50  per  day.  Value  of  product  for  1857, 
$61,715.28.  Sale  of  lumber,  same  year,  $112,286.25.  Engine  twenty-five 
horse  power. 

N.  Kkndall  &  Co.,  Saw  Mill  and  Lath  Machine. — Corner  Front  and  Warren 
streets. — Engine  thirty  horse  power.  Capital  $50,000.  Raw  material  used 
per  year,  $40,000.  Value  of  manufactures  $70,000.  Labor  $11,000.  Thirty- 
five  hands. 

Renwick  &  Son,  Saw  Mill,  with  Lath,  Shingle,  and  Stave  Machines  attached^ 
— On  River  above  Railroad  Bridge. --Engine  forty  horse  power.  Capital 
$50,000.  Raw  material,  per  year,  $25,000.  Thirty  hands,  at  $1.25,  per  day. 
Manufacture  per  year  3,000,000  feet  Lumber,  2,O0O,000  Lath,  2,000,000  Shin- 
gles, 1,000,000  barrel  staves,  1,000,000  barrel  heads.  Machinery,  nine  Saws, 
one  Heading  Machine,  one  Jointing  Machine,  one  Stave  Machine,  one  Shingle 


JOB  pLM.,,,^, 


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PUBL/SH//\/G       HOUSB  OF 

LUSE.LANE&C9. 


PAST  AND  PKESENT.  267 


Machine.  Established  1854.  TTse  no  fuel  but  saw  dust.  Value  of  product 
per  year  §60.000. 

Samuel  Stanchfield,  Saw  and  Plaining  Mill,  Lath  and  Shingle  Factory. — 
Main  street,  East  Davenport.— Capital  $20,000.  Sawed  last  year  2,500,000 
feet,  valued  $20,000.     Has  a  Planing  Mill  attached. 

S.  Fuller's  Lumber  Yard. — Corner  Iowa  and  Fourth  sts. — Capital  $10,000. 
Aggregate  sales  of  sawed  Lumber,  per  year,  $25,000.     Established  1856. 

MARBLE    WORKS. 

John  Davis. — Perry  street,  north  of  Second. 

B.  Wathan. — Main  street,  near  Second. 

W.  H.  Guthrie. — Main  street,  between  Front  and  Second. — Makes  Mantles, 
Cemetry  Work,  such  as  Monuments,  Grave  Stones,  Cenotaphes,  Spires,  Tablets, 
&c.,  in  the  best  style  of  the  art.  Mr.  Guthrie's  work  has  deservedly  given  him 
a  wide  reputation  throughout  the  West.     Employs  sis  men 

MILLINERY    AND    DRESS    MAKING. 

Mrs.  Jones. — Corner  Second  and  Brady. 

Wellan  &  Baker. — Corner  Brady  and  Second,  over  Crampton's  Store. 

Mr.  Tyler. — No.  6,  Forrest  Block. 

A.  A.  Crampton. — Corner  Brady  and  Second  streets. 

E.  A.  MooRE. — No.  19  Second  Street. 

Mrs.  R.  Renwick. — No.  90  Brady  street. 

NUSER  lES. 

n.  S.  Finlet. — On  Second  street,  west  end  of  the  city. — Mr.  Finley  com- 
menced this  business  in  1839,  and  after  Herculean  efforts  has  succeeded  in 
establishing  one  of  the  finest  and  largest  nurseries  in  the  West. 

PIANO    FORTES; 

John  Zimmerman. — Sixth  street,  between  Iowa  and  LeClaire  streets. — First 
class  establishment,  and  only  one  in  city.  Just  completed  a  splendid  instru- 
ment for  A.  LeClaire,  at  a  cost  of  $1,000. 

PRINTERS    AND    PUBLISHERS. 

LusE,  Lane  &  Co. — No.  55  Perry  street. — The  only  Book  Publishing  House 
in  the  State.  Capital  $30,000.  Business  for  last  year,  $28,000.  Employ 
20  to  25  hands  ;  viz.:  in  Bindery  twelve,  Composing  Room  five,  Press  Room  three, 
Store  three.  The  size  of  this  Establishment,  and  its  enterprise  in  having  pio- 
neered book-publishing  in  Iowa,  deserves  a  particular  notice.  They  own  and 
occupy  a  building,  three  stories,  twenty  feet  front  by  ninety-six  deep.     Their 


Press  Room  is  furnished  with  a  Chronometer  Engine  of  two  horse  power,  one 
Medium  Hoe  Press,  one  Adams  Press,  one  Adams  Card  Press,  and  two  Ilnnd 
Presses.     The  Composing  Room  contains  412  founts  of  Type,  260  of  which 
are  placed  in  a  Revolving  Rack,  a  most  ingenious  and  room-saving  invention 
by  Mr.  Chester  Barney,  the  Foreman  of  the  Printing  Office.     The  Bindery 
has  two  Standing  Presses,  (made  by  S.  0.  Shorey,  of  Davenport,)  two  Hikock's 
Ruling  Machines,  one  Paging  Machine,  seven  Hand  Presses,  and  one  Stabbing 
Machine. — They  have  published  during  the  past  year  the  Debates  of  the  Con- 
stitutional Convention,  in  two  large  sized  oct.  volumes  of  600  pages  each,  and 
also  the  Iowa  Form  Book;  besides  a  multitude  of  Blank  Books  for  nearly  every 
County  in  the  State,  and  for  m?.ny  of  adjacent  States.     They  have  ample  fa- 
cilities for  doing  every  kind  of  work  as  well  and  cheap  as  it  can  be  done  East. 
A  large  Store  Room  is  on  the  lower  floor,  amply  ."supplied  with  Stationery, 
Law  Blanks,  and  in  short  everything  pertaining  to  the  business.     Established 
1854. 
Sanders  &  Bro.,  Oazttte  Office.     See  article  on  "  Press." 
John  Johns,  Jr.,  &  Co,,  News  Office.     See  article  on  "Press." 
Richardson  &  West,  Democrat  Office.     See  article  on  "Press." 
Lischer  &  Co.,  Der  Demokrat.     See  article  on  "Press." 

SIGN    PAINTING. 

E.  S.  Moore. — Third  street  near  Ripley. 

RuFUS  Wright. — Post  Office  Building,  up  stairs. — Mr.  Wright  has  done  much 
to  confer  honor  upon  himself  apart  from  excellence  in  his  Sign  Painting.  He 
is  a  fine  artist,  and  has  executed  some  Portraits  and  Landscapes  of  high  ex- 
cellence. Among  his  best  works  are  a  magnificent  view  of  Davenport,  (now 
being  lithographed,)  the  "Banished  Lord,"  "Rest  at  Eve,"  and  the  "Lost 
Children."  Mr.  Wright  is  still  a  young  man,  and  possesses  a  most  promising 
future. 

A.  D.  Jewell,  House,  Sign,  and  Ornamental  Painter. — Third  street,  one 
door  east  of  Brady. 

C.  D.  Glime. — Third  street,  near  Brady. 

Cook  &  Hopkins. — Main  street,  back  of  LeClaire  House. 

WiLLARD,  dealer  in  Sash,  Doors  and  Blinds,  and  Sign  and  House  Painter. — 
Corner  Second  and  Harrison  streets. 

SOAP    AND    CANDLES. 

E.  Arndt  &  RrEHE. — Foot  of  Ainsworth  street. 
H.  RcGGS. — On  Second,  near  Ainsworth  street. — $8,000  per  annum. 
Thomas  Winkless. — On  River,  foot  of  Bridge  Avenue. 
John  C.  Matthes. — On  River,  below  City  Cemetry. — $25,000  per  annum. 
Employs  five  men. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  269 


SODA    WATE  R. 

John  F.  Miller. — Second  street,  near  Gaines. — Manufactures  300  bottles 
per  day. 

TAILORING    AND    CLOTHING. 

R.  H.  Parks  &  Co. — Metropolitan  Block. 

J.  S.  Drake  &  Co.,  dealers  in  Clothing  and  Gents'  Furnishing  Goods. — 
22  West  Second  street. 

T.  S.  Gilbert,  Draper  and  Tailor.— 5  Franklin  Block. 

R.  Krause  &  Co. — McManus'  Block,  Second  street. — Employs  six  men. 

N.  HusEN. — 119  Second  street. 

F.  Schnabel. — Harrison  sti-eet. 

P.  L.  Cone. — Employs  nine  men. 

Latimer. — Corner  Brady  and  Third  streets. 

Mrs.  Stoddast. — 32  Perry  street. 

TANNERS. 

H.  Winch.— On  Rockingham  Road.— $10,000  per  year. 
Only  one  in  town. 

TIN    SHOPS. 

Smith  &  Remington.— 39  Second  street.— Capital  $3,000.  Raw  Material 
per  year  $10,000.  This  firm  has  done  an  increasing  business  for  the  year  past 
nearly  doubling,  notwithstanding  the  hardness  of  the  times. 

Graham  &  Early.— 22  Front  street.— Manufacture  $5,000  worth  per  annum. 

Brunner  &  Cassel.— 67  Harrison  street. — Manufacturers  of  Smoke  Stacks, 
Mill  and  Engine  Machinery,  and  general  Tin  Jobbery. 

Wickersham  &  Williams.— 4  Burrows'  Block.— Capital  $5,000.  Product 
per  year  $12,000. 

UNDERTAKER. 

I.  Hall. — Brady  street,  near  Third. — Only  one  in  town,  and  eminently  fitted 
for  the  position. 

FPHOLS  TERY. 

John  Betts. — Second  street,  between  Rock  Island  and  Third. 
L.  Waepfner. — Second  street. 
J.  Ledermeier. — Third  street. 

VINEGAR    MAKERS. 
Antoine  Iten. — Corner  Front  and  Brown  streets. — 1000  barrels  per  annum. 


270  DAVENPORT 


WATCHES    AND    JEWELRY. 

A.  C.  Billon  &  Co. — 8  LeClaire  Row. 
W.  R.  LiNDSEY. — Brady  street. — Engraver,  Repairer,  &c. 
J.  Grevsmuehl. — Second  street,  near  Harrison. 

Wallace  &  Ingalls,  dealers  iu  Musical  Instruments,  Watches,  &c. — 24 
Second  street. 

Wm.  Effey. — Second  street,  near  Ripley. 

H.  Langmack. — Second  street,  between  Main  and  Harrison. 

R.  &  J.  Nelson. — 60  Brady  street. 

Appropriate  to  the  present  article  is  the  Report  of  the  Board  of  Trade, 
made  at  the  close  of  I8b1,  which  sums  up  the  various  matters  of  business, 
expressed  in  detail  by  the  foregoing. 

REPORT  OP  THE  DAVEMPORT  BOARD  OP  TRADE,  FOR  1857. 

The  footings  in  some  erf  the  principal  branches  of  trade  for  the  year  ending 
December  31st,  1857,  show  an  aggregate  for  the  business  in  the  same  of 
$14,435,812.24.  Of  this  amount  $8, 539, 744.28  has  been  Banking  and  Ex- 
change; $2,628,602.57  sales  of  Merchandise ;  $1,158,000.00  sales  of  Grain 
and  Provisions;  $353,000.00  sales  ofConsignments  and  Forwarding;  $751,030.00 
Manufacturing  not  estimated  in  sales  ;  $450,029.00  Freight  and  Cartage  ; 
$555,406.39  Lumber,  Doors,  Sash,  &c. 

The  Banking  department  shows  an  aggregate  of  $6,616,737.34  for  Exchange, 
and  $1,923,006.94  for  Discounts. 

The  sales  of  Merchandise,  together  with  the  stock  on  hand,  show  as  follows  : 

SALES.  S'l'OCKS. 

Agricultural  Implementa, $  25,000  00  $  12,000  00 

Boots  and  Shoes, 72,000  00  34,000  00 

Books,  Wall  Paper,  etc 34,000  00  12,000  00 

ISakery,  Confectionery,  etc., 8,000  00  3,000  00 

Clotliing, 164,700  00  61,000  00 

Dry  Goods, 600,902  o7  164,500  00 

I'urniture,  Matrasses,  Carpeting, 89.000  00  44,300  00 

Groceries, 771,800  00  163,000  00 

Hardware,  Iron,  and  Nails, 264,500  00  120,600  00 

Hats,  Caps,  and  I'ur, 34,000  00  14,000  00 

Jewelry,  Watches,  etc., 27,000  00  18,600  00 

Leather  and  Saddlery  Hardware, 87,000  00  24,200  00 

Millinery, 42.000  00  12,700  00 

Drugs,  Paints,  Oils,  etc., 70,000  00  35,300  00 

Queensware, 25,000  00  18,000  00 

Stoves,  House  Furnishing,  etc., 125,000  00  44,000  00 

Assorted  Merchandise, 116,200  00  16,700  00 

Tobacco  and  Cigars, 59,000  00  14,000  00 

Wines  and  Liquors, 13,600  00  7,000  00 

Total  Stock  on  hand, $818,700  00 

Owing  to  the  monetary  difficulties,  which  came  down  upon  us  so  suddenly 
in  October,  there  has  been  a  falling  off  in  all  branches  of  trade.  In  no  de- 
partment have  the  figures  been  so  affected  as  in  the  Banking.  During  sixty 
of  the  last  ninety  days,  Exchange  has  not  been  procurable  at  any  price,  or 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  271 


under  any  circumstances,  except  in  very  small  sums.  Notwithstanding  this, 
our  local  business  has  suffered  far  less  diminution  than  was  at  first  appre- 
hended. 

With  an  encouraging  activity  in  their  affairs  and  operations,  our  merchants 
have  slowly,  but  steadily,  met  their  liabilities  at  home  and  abroad,  with  a 
manifestation  of  promptness  that,  under  tho  circumstances,  has  received  the 
hearty  approbation  of  their  correspondents,  and  preserved  intact  the  high 
standing  they  have  previously  maintained. 

Careful  inquiries  have  developed  the  fact  beyond  dispute  that,  during  the 
last  few  months,  we  have  bad  important  accessions  to  our  trade,  from  various 
sections  of  the  country  hitherto  tributary  to  other  points.  It  is  presuming 
very  little  to  say,  that  the  acquaintances  thus  formed,  cannot  but  result  mu- 
tually advantageous.  Whether  the  first  introduction  was  the  result  of  purely 
superior  inducements  in  stock  and  prices,  which  our  merchants  are  ever  ready 
to  offer,  or  more  directly  the  effect  of  the  local  currency,  that  has  been  so  ex- 
clusively the  agent  of  our  transactions,  is  not  left  for  decision  here,  and  indeed 
it  is  no  matter,  having  gained  so  much  of  a  point,  it  only  remains  to  re- 
tain it. 

The  high  price  of  exchange  has  operated  more  manifestly  upon  the  stocks  of 
grocers,  in  the  articles  of  coffee,  sugar,  and  molasses,  and  has  maintained  the 
price  of  these  articles,  at  quotations  much  above  the  ordinary  margin  between 
this  and  Eastern  and  Southern  markets.  The  indications  being  favorable  for 
a  speedy  equalization  of  funds,  we  may  reasonably  hope  for  an  improvement 
in  these  articles,  and  a  corresponding  increase  of  sales  of  the  same. 

The  estimates  of  Grain  and  Provisions  exhibit  as  follows : 

VALUE. 

Bushels  Wheat, 1,019,000  $5U9,000 

Bushels  Barley, 34.000  13,600 

Barrels  Flour, 175,800  879,000 

Tons  shipped  stuff,  etc Si&iO  129,600 

Bushels  Potatoes, 20,000  5,000 

Bushels  Onions, 25,000  12,500 

Barrels  Pork, .3,500  52,000 

Tierces  Bacon, 1.250  32,000 

Of  the  wheat  received  during  the  comprised  period,  there  was  manufactured 
into  flour  eight  hundred  and  seventy-nine  thousand  bushels. 

The  number  of  Hogs  packed  at  this  point  was  thirteen  thousand. 
The  estimated  value  for  the  same,  after  allowing  for  the  wheat,  etc.,  manu- 
factured, is  $1,158,000. 

The  Commission  and  Forwarding  Business,  with  an  aggregate  of  $353,000, 
shows  an  advance  of  freight  and  charges  of  $150,000. 

The  following  list  of  different  branches  of  manufacture  shows  for 

Agricultural  Implements, $  49,000 

Boots  and  Shoes, 20,000 

Book  Binding,  Printing,  etc., 108,000 

Bakeries  and  Confectionary, ;'.5,000 

Clothing, 28,000 

Carriages,  Wagons,  etc., 87,000 

Furniture  and  Matrasses, 07,000 

Plows,  Castings,  and  Iron  Work, 205,000 

Paints,  Oils,  etc., 4,0O0 

Stove  Furnishing,  etc., 10,000 

Cooperage, 105,130 

liUniber,  Sash,  etc., 235,154 

I'lour,  Peed,  etc., 957,000 

Hog  Product, 113,715 

Sundry  Manufactures, 32,909 


272  DAVENPORT 


la  no  year  have  the  crops  of  the  country  been  more  abundant  than  the 
present,  yet  owing  to  the  great  falling  oft"  in  price,  as  compared  with  the 
former  years,  the  receipts  have  fallen  far  short  of  the  amount  due.  During 
the  early  months  of  the  year,  prices  ranged  at  a  point  that  offered  great  in- 
ducements to  the  producer,  and  large  quantities  of  seed  were  planted. 

The  exuberant  crop,  with  a  falling  off  in  demand,  followed  by  the  financial 
troubles,  created  such  a  sudden  and  heavy  diminution  of  price,  as  to  induce 
growers  of  grains  to  sell  no  more  than  they  were  compelled  to  do. 

The  opening  year,  however,  offering  no  assurance  of  an  improvement,  there 
has  been  an  increased  disposition  to  sell,  and  consequently  a  marked  improve- 
ment in  receipts. 

There  are  few  points  in  the  West  where  the  manufacture  of  flour  is  more 
largely  engaged  in. 

The  value  of  this  department  alone  approximates  one  million  dollars,  while 
the  brands  of  the  different  mills  enjoy  an  enviable  reputation  in  foreign 
markets. 

The  crop  of  barley  promised  a  great  abundance,  but  the  result  of  heavy 
rains  at  the  period  of  early  harvest  vt^as  a  bitter  disappointment  and  loss  to 
the  farmers,  and  a  greatly  deteriorated  quality  of  grain.  Much  of  the  gather- 
ing has  been  grown  or  dampened,  so  that  the  prices  have  ranged  from  the  low 
quotation  of  twenty  cents  per  bushel  to  fifty  cents  per  bushel. 

In  common  with  other  sections  of  the  country,  there  has  been  an  extensive 
disease  among  Neoshannock  potatoes.  Pinkeyes  appearing  the  most  healthy, 
have  been  most  sought  after.  Large  quantities  have  been  exported,  but  stim- 
ulated by  the  excessive  prices  of  last  spring,  the  crop  was  heavy.  There 
are  many  held  in  the  country,  in  the  hopes  of  advanced  prices  upon  the  re- 
sumption of  navigation  in  the  spring. 

An  important  and  distinctive  feature  in  our  list  of  productions,  is  the  cul- 
ture of  onions.  The  annual  crop  is  largely  in  excess  of  any  other  point  in  the 
West,  and  indeed  enters  creditably  into  competition  with  the  great  district  of 
Wethersfield,  so  long  famous  for  onions.  In  no  soil  is  the  crop  grown  more 
easily,  profitably,  or  satisfactorily.  The  average  price  for  the  year  has  been 
fifty  cents  per  bushel,  with  a  total  receipt  of  twenty-five  thousand  bushels. 
The  shipments  have  been  liberal  with  a  fair  stock  on  hand. 

The  Hog  crop  at  this  point  has  never  assumed  the  importance  that  has 
characterized  the  same  at  other  places  of  some  less  size.  Operatious  have 
been  confined  to  a  few  dealers,  so  that  competition  has  never  been  sufficient 
to  raise  prices,  or  invite  a  supply  exceeding  the  demand.  There  is  no  State 
better  adapted  for  the  raising  of  stock  and  culture  of  the  necessary  food  than 
our  own.  Fertile,  well  watered,  with  almost  limitless  extent  of  natural  pas- 
tures, and  a  soil  responding  generously  to  the  rudest  advances  of  cultivation, 
but  a  few  years  will  elapse  before  we  will  assume  that  importance  in  this  par- 
ticular we  are  eminently  qualified  to  maintain;    it  is  but  little  to  anticipate 


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PAST  AND  PUESENT.  273 


that  the  superiority  of  our  position  and  advantages  will  largely  identify  us 
with  such  a  result  and  make  this  city  an  extensive  depot  of  provisions. 

The  Oomtuission  and  Forwarding  Business,  which  this  year  shows  au  aggre- 
gate of  over  one-third  of  a  tniliion,  is  rapidly  inc.  easing  in  importance.  As 
the  Mi-sissippi  and  Missouri  Railroad  is  extended,  so  will  our  products  in- 
crease, and  the  same,  whether  seeking  an  Eastern  or  Southern  market,  must, 
on  transhipment  here,  give  employment  to  a  large  amount  of  labor  and 
m^ns. 

MANUFACTURES. 

The  solid  growth  and  importance  of  a  city  is  admitted  by  all  political  econ- 
omists to  be  based  upon  the  manufacturing  interest  contained  therein — and 
while  we  are  deScieut  in  none  of  the  elements  necessary  for  the  growth  and 
success  of  a  great  mart,  i'  is  mostly  upon  our  unequalled  facilities  for  manu- 
factures that  our  anticipations  of  the  future  aie  based. 

Favored  as  we  are  by  nature  in  our  loc  ttion,  with  every  advantage  for  the 
convenient  association  of  the  different  agencies  required  in  the  transformation 
of  raw  material  into  the  necessaries  of  society,  it  requires  only  the  most 
casuiil  observation  to  discern  our  future  importance;  scarcely  one  stranger 
pa.fses  without  being  impressed  with  this  great  fact,  while  to  those  who  give 
more  attention  to  the  subject,  favorable  results  geometrically  increase. 

Already  we  have  attained  importance;  already  we  have  arrested  and  given 
employment  to  capital  seeking  profiiable  investments.  The  success  that  has 
attended  effurts  already  begun,  connected  with  the  facility  of  furnishing  the 
raw  ii.aterial — be  it  Lead  from  our  own  borders.  Copper  from  Superior,  Iron 
from  Missouri,  Lumber  from  Wiscoi^sin  or  Michi>ian,  Hard  Wood  from  Indiana, 
Cotton  from  Southern  States,  all  of  which  can  be  brout^ht  to  our  door  without 
reshipnieat,  added  to  Coal  for  fuel  from  meadows  and  fields  whereon  we  raise 
abundant  supplies  of  food  for  the  thousands  whose  labor  is  transforming  the 
crude  materials  we  gather — cannot  fail  to  favorably  attract  the  attention  of 
the  capitalist  and  citizen,  and  induce  to  a  citizenship  among  us,  a  portion  of 
the  best  talent  and  enrrgy  ot  the  country.  Already  are  we  conceded  the 
superiority  of  manufacturing  facilities,  and  already  is  a  wide  area  of  territory 
dependent  upon  us  for  those  supplies  we  can  more  economically  produce  than 
import.  Every  mile  of  Railroad  that  is  completed  to  the  West,  as  well  as 
every  acre  of  raw  prairie  that  is  broken  for  cultivation,  increases  our  manu- 
facturing  importance  ;  in  no  age  has  the  march  of  emigration  been  more 
rapid  and  ccmtinual,  and  in  no  case  has  a  larger  percentage  of  population 
accumulated  than  in  our  own  State;  legitimate  causes  produce  legitimate  re- 
sults. No  city  has  had  a  more  rapid,  vigorous,  and  continued  improvement 
than  our  own,  and  no  improvement  has  been  founded  upon  a  more  permanent 
basis,  viz: — manufactures. 

There  is  scarcely  a  branch  of  this  class  of  industry  that  might  not  be  en- 
tered into  successfully.     Mills,  machine  shops,  etc.,  are  already  established, 

35 


274  DAVENPORT 


yet  these  can  be  duplicated  and  the  supply  not  exceed  the  demand.  Cotton 
and  woolen  mills,  paper  manufacturers,  foundries,  shops  for  agricultural  im- 
plements, and  all  the  various  kinds  of  handicraft  will  meet  a  welcome  and 
a  support  upon  the  occasion  of  their  advent. 

Here  the  expense  of  living  is  moderate,  and  the  price  of  real  estate  governed 
by  its  value  for  actual  use;  for  the  proprietor,  unequalled  sites  of  residence 
present  themselves,  while  the  mechanic  and  laborer  can  find  abundant  places 
for  a  home,  at  terms  to  suit  the  most  limited  means  ;  for  the  purposes  of 
business  no  city  has  a  site  superior,  while  few  can  equal  our  own. 

The  estimate  for  Lumber,  shows  the  following  aggregates: 

The  receipts  have  been  in  feet 22.21^,'2l6 

Tlie  nniniipr  of  Lath  received  ami  manufactiirerl, 6,795.000 

Tlie  iiun]i)er  Sliingles  received  and  uiimufactured 5,2  4,750 

The  number  I'icl^eta  manufactured, 31,463 

Of  the  receipts  fourteen  million  seven  hundred  and  seventy-five  thousand 
two  hundred  and  sixteen  feet  have  been  by  river,  and  seven  million  four 
hundred  and  thirty-eight  thousand  feet  by  railroad. 

The  amount  of  freight  and  charges  paid  here  for  the  year  have  been 
$450,029.00.  Of  this  the  amount  of  railroad  charges  was  $401,470.00.  And 
the  amount  of  river  charges  was  $48, .559. 00. 

The  aggregate  exports  and  imports  for  the  same  time  have  been,  as  nearly 
as  can  be  ascertained,  ninety-three  thousand  six  hundred  and  eighty-three 
Ions.  Of  this  amount  forty  thousand  five  hundred  and  eighty-four  tons  are 
exports,  and  fifty-three  thousand  and  ninety-nine  tons  imports.  Of  the  ex- 
ports thirty-four  thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty-seven  tons  were  by  railroad, 
and  six  thousand  four  hundred  and  twenty-seven  by  river.  Of  the  imports 
forty-seven  thousand  and  twenty-nine  tons  were  by  railroad,  and  six  thousand 
and  seventy  tons  by  river.  Total  river  tonnage,  twelve  thousand  four  hundred 
and  ninety-seven.  Total  railroad  tonnage,  eighty-one  thousand  one  hundred 
and  eighty-six. 

The  whole  number  of  steamboat  arrivals  and  departures  have  been  one 
thousand  five  hundred  and  eighty-seven.  Of  this  number  nine  hundred  and 
sixty  have  been  boats  running  to  this  point  exclusively,  and  six:  hundred  and 
twenty-seven  transient  boats. 

The  number  of  boats  that  have  passed  the  railroad  bridge  is  one  thousand 
and  sixty-seven  ;  and  the  number  of  rafts  six  hundred.  The  number  of  col- 
lisions of  boats  with  the  bridge  has  been  twenty-five  ;  of  which  eight  sustained 
injury,  and  seventeen  sustained  no  injury.  The  number  of  rafts  colliding  with 
the  bridge  has  been  thirty;  of  which  about  two-thirds  sustained  injury,  and 
one-third  no  injury.  In  no  case  was  the  injury  sustained  serious,  with  the 
exception  of  a  few  rafts. 

The  river  opened  on  Thursday,  February  26th,  the  ice  moving  slightly.  It 
again  became  gorged  on  the  28th,  and  remained  stationary  until  March  25th, 
when  it  again  broke  loose,  and  permitted  boats  to  reach  the  landing.  The 
first  boat  of  the  season  was  the  Fire  Canoe,  and  half  an  hour  later  the  Cone- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  275 


wago.  The  first  boat  that  passed  the  bridge  was  the  Conewago,  bound  up ; 
and  the  last  boat  the  Cremonia  on  the  25th  of  December,  bound  down.  On 
the  25th  of  March  the  ferry  commenced  regular  trips  for  the  season. 

Up  to  the  time  of  closing  this  report,  the  river  has  not  frozen  over  at  this 
point. 

The  first  raft  passed  down  the  18th  of  March,  and  the  last  one  the  18th  of 
November. 

Of  the  rafts  passing  down  the  bridge  more  than  one-half  were  manufact- 
ured lumber. 

It  is  a  matter  of  interest  to  note  the  comparative  magnitude  of  the  river 
and  railroad  business  of  the  city,  and  the  statements  assume  greater  interest, 
in  connection  with  the  strong  influence  that  has  been  exerted  for  the  removal 
of  this  important  connection  between  great  Eastern  and  Western  overland 
thoroughfares. 

St.  Louis,  with  a  greatly  preponderating  river  over  railroad  business,  attri- 
butes to  this  bridge,  the  greatest  injury  her  business  has  received.  The  ad- 
mission calls  attention  to  the  fact,  that  an  immense  interest  has  found  a  more 
favorable  and  profitable  accommodation  than  before  ;  an  interest  that  is  daily 
increasing,  and  if  not  at  present,  soon  will  become  of  greater  importance  than 
the  inconveniences  presented  to  any  opposing  interest.  In  this  view,  and  aside 
from  any  local  benefits  that  may  accrue,  it  would  seem  to  any  but  the  most 
selfish  prejudice,  a  retrogressive  policy  ihit  would  disturb  so  great  a  general 
good. 

There  has  been  received  here  during  the  year  by  railroad : 

Lumber,  in  feet, 7,43S,000 

Shingles, .' 3,370,000 

Railroad  Iron,  tous, 1.593 

Coal,  tons, 13J095 

Oats,  buHliels. 33,843 

Barley,  bushels, 4,688 

Corn,  bushels 75,834 

Wheat,  bushels, 183,297 

Pork,  lbs., 862,385 

Pork,  bbls., 3,956 

Machinery,  lbs., 183,436 

Barrels  of  Flour, 4,410 

Wool,  lbs., 18,306 

Of  the  above  the  entire  estimates  for  Lumber,  Shingles,  Railroad  Iron,  Coal, 
and  Corn  were  received  by  the  Chicago  and  Rock  Island  Railroad.  And  the 
entire  amount  of  Wheat,  Pork,  Flour,  and  Wool,  was  received  by  the  Missis- 
sippi and  Missouri  Railroad.  The  remainder  was  received  as  follows :  By 
Chicago  and  Rock  Island  Railroad,  Oats  29,380  bushels,  Barley  2,316  bushels. 
By  Mississippi  and  Missouri  Railroad,  Oats  4,463  bushels,  Barley  2,372  bushels. 

In  addition  to  this  there  has  been  passed  over  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri 

Railroad : 

Barrels  of  Flour, 29,302 

Bushels  of  I'otat  oes, 2,996 

Bushi  Is  of  Oats, 4.330 

Bushels  of  !!orn 40,258 

Bushels  of  Wiieai 235,217 

Pounds  of  Wool, 25,416 


The  totnl  number  of  pounds  passed  over  this  road,  for  the  year,  has  been 
one  hundred  and  thirty  million  six  hundred  and  ninety-five  thousand  five 
hundred  and  sixty- six  pounds. 

While  the  receipts  by  river  have  been  larpje  and  intere^'ting,  no  reliable 
records  of  the  different  articles  exist  upon  which  tables  can  be  founded.  The 
amount  of  Lumber  received  in  feet  hai?  been  lourteen  million  seven  hundred 
and  seventy-five  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixteen. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  a  portion  of  the  exports  by  river  and  railroad: 

BITER.  RAILKOAD.  TOTAL. 

Uiishrls  WluMt 3il.(l72  57,9:!6  94.008 

Bu>hplH  Hiiilev 1S.388  2.279  20.fi67 

BHrrels  Kloni- '. 19.819  86..509  10(1319 

T.iiiH  Coh] 5,047  5617 

Feot  Liiiiibci 9,000  16.039,112  16.048112 

^hinglvs, 5,890,000  6,890,000 

In  addition  to  the  above,  there  has  been  shipped  from  this  port  as  follows  : 

Buslii'ls  Oiiiiiiis 18  620 

Bushels  Biirl.'v lfi.372 

BusliflsCoin  iM.-al 1 -iOO 

BnshflsOatf; 376 

Tons  !:-l)ip  t=t,nfl. 976 

Barrels  Lard 297 

Packages  lliilter 138 

Tiereea  Bacon 1.280 

Barrels  Pork 1-372 

Hides 1.'13 

Wagoii.s  ami  Cairiages 26 

Barrels  Fruit 32 

Packages  Kiiriiiture, 961 

Packages  Merchandise, 1.615 

Packages  Groceries 800 

Pai'kages  Queensware 63 

Packages  Ilaritware , 659 

Packages  Plows 507 

Packages  .Agricultural  linpleineuts, 620 

Buinlles  ."^asli 90 

Pork  Barrels 254 

Sack  ^eeds 100 

Sack  Wool 11 

Buleii  Guuiiitb, 291 

I.  P.  COATES, 
Secretary  of  Board  of  Trade. 
Datbnport,  Iowa,  January  1st,  1858. 


,  — 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  277 


CnAPTER    XXYIII. 


HOTELS 


BURTIS    HOUSE. 

Located  on  corner  of  Towa  and  Fifth  streets. — Dr.  J.  J.  Btrtts,  Proprietor. 

This  house  is  by  far  the  best  Hotel  in  the  West,  and  in  deed  contra'^iction 
is  challenged,  when  it  is  asserted,  that  the  "Burtis  House"  for  elegance,  ac- 
v/Omraodation,  beauty  of  structure,  and  in  all  its  details,  is  inferior  to  no  House 
in  the  United  States.  For  this  last  reason  a  particular  description  will  not  be 
deemed  amiss,  and  will  furthermore  fully  evidence  the  assertion  of  its  superi- 
ority. 

The  "  Burti?  House"  is  a  simple  Dining  Room,  surrounded  on  three  sides 
by  Parlors,  Halls,  Bedrooms,  Closets,  &c.,  risinsr  to  the  height  of  five  stories, 
including  basement.  The  whole  structure  is  1!8  feet  on  Fifih  street,  and  109 
feet  on  Iowa  street.  The  Dining  Room  is  39  by  81  feet,  supported  by  iron 
columns,  and  magnificently  frescoed  tiy  Messis.  Patterson  &  Hildebrt'nd. 

In  the  Basement  there  is  the  Engine  Room,  containing  an  engine  of  thirty- 
five  horse  power,  which,  in  connection  with  one  of  Worthington's  pumps, 
forces  the  water  to  a  tank  in  the  fifth  story,  from  which  in  hot  and  cold  jets 
it  is  distributed  to  every  Hall  in  the  house.  The  boiler  in  this  room  was 
made  by  Walworth,  Hubbard  &  Co.,  of  Chicago.  The  boiler,  steam  and 
gas  fitting,  and  plumbing,  was  made  by  Mr.  Merwin  of  this  city.  There  are 
also  upon  this  floor  a  Laundry  Room,  veined  by  steam  pipes ;  a  Restaurant, 
Billiard  Room,  Bar  Room,  Smoking  Room,  Barber  Shop,  Bath  Room,  and  three 
Store  Rooms,  together  with  a  multiplicity  of  smaller  rooms,  closets,  &c.,  un- 
necessary to  mention. 

On  the  first  floor  is  found  the  Rotunda,  a  marble-floored,  lofty,  and  roomy 
arrangement,  with  trumpets,  bells,  &c.,  beautifully  frescoed,  together  with  three 
imposing   stair  cases,  leading   respectively  to  the  Ladies,  Gents,  and  other 


278  DAVENPORT 


rooms  above.  It  communicates  by  wide  Halls  with  the  Ladies  and  Gents' 
Parlors  on  this  floor,  with  external  entrances,  and  with  the  stairways  above 
alluded  to.  Upon  this  floor  are  also  the  Dining  Room  (by  far  the  most  splen- 
did specimen  of  architectural  beauty  in  the  West,)  Reading  Room,  Ladies  Par- 
lors with  folding  doors,  Wash  and  Private  rooms,  the  latter  projected  in  all 
particulars  similar  to  those  of  St.  Nicholas  Hotel,  New  York  City. 

Passing  from  this  floor  to  the  second,  by  either  of  the  beautifully  constructed 
staircases,  one  is  compelled  to  admire  the  work  of  Mr.  Walker,  one  of  the  best 
Stairway  Builders  in  the  West.  On  the  second  floor  are  Parlors,  with  bed- 
rooms attached.  Linen  closets,  suits  of  bed-rooms  and  parlors  attached  for 
the  use  of  several  families.  The  servants  rooms  are  detached  from  other 
parts  of  the  house,  and  like  every  other  room  in  the  house,  are  well  warmed 
and  ventilated.  Each  room  is  warmed  by  steam,  and  cooking  is  done  by  the 
same  means.  Every  room  is  lofty,  and  from  most  of  them  magnificent  views 
of  Bluff  or  River  scenery  are  obtainable.  The  Dining  Room,  occupying  as  it 
does  the  centre  of  the  house,  is  lighted  from  front,  rear  and  skylight.  Its 
being  located  in  the  precise  spot  it  is,  makes  it  a  vast  improvement  over  every- 
thing else  of  the  kind.  The  Rotunda  is  in  all  respects  a  fine  specimen  of  de- 
sign and  finish,  and  successfully  challenges  comparison. 

There  are  150  sleeping  rooms  in  the  house  ;  basement  18  rooms  ;  first  floor 
18,  exclusive  of  the  Rotunda  ;  and  the  remainder  of  the  rooms  are  distributed 
on  the  floors  above.  The  House  itself  is  on  the  Railroad,  and  but  a  few  steps 
from  the  Depot,  thus  saving  to  travelers  the  expense  of  Omnibus  bill. 

In  concluding  the  notice  of  the  "Burtis  House,"  it  is  but  justice  to  the 
excellence  of  the  parties  to  state,  that  the  head  builder  is  Mr.  \Vm.  Poole ; 
the  plasterers  Messrs.  Rambo  &  Crimp;  J.  H.  Morton,  Painter;  John  Hillar, 
Stone  Mason  ;  McManus  &  Wilkinson,  Brick  Masons ;  the  marble  flooring  by 
Ed.  Wathan;  and  the  Iron  Castings  by  Jamme,  Donnelly  &  Lea.  The  whole 
superstructure  was  designed  by  Dr.  Burtis,  assisted  in  part  by  Messrs.  Under- 
wood &  Cochrane,  and  "last,  but  not  least,"  by  Mr.  Carroll. 

In  regard  to  Dr.  Burtis  but  little  need  be  said — as  former  Lessee  of  "  LeClaire 
House,"  and  of  the  house  in  Lexington,  Mo.,  he  gained  a  reputation  for  man- 
agement in  the  Hotel  business,  which  no  eulogy  can  heighten.  There  is  but 
a  small  share  of  western  travel  for  a  few  years  back,  that  has  not  been  in- 
debted to  Dr.  Burtis  for  those  gentlemanly  and  hospitable  attentions  that  tend 
so  much  to  lessen  the  discomforts  of  travel,  and  to  ameliorate  the  hardships 
of  absence  from  home. 

The  Furniture,  which  is  of  the  very  best  quality,  was  furnished  in  New 
York.  Mattrasses,  Linen,  Bedding,  Carpets,  &c.,  of  A.  T.  Stewart ;  Table 
Furniture  from  Haughout  &  Co.,  488  Broadway,  New  York ;  and  the  other 
articles  from  various  other  establishments. 

The  whole  house  is  lighted  by  Gas,  and  in  every  respect  superior  to  any 
other  in  the  United  States. 


PAST  AND  PKESENT.  279 


To  omit  adding  that  Dr.  Burtis  possesses  as  his  assistant  Frank  Kendrick, 
would  be  to  leave  unsaid  one  of  the  most  valuable  facts  in  regard  to  the 
"  Burtis  House."  To  all  who  know  him,  nothing  need  be  said,  in  regard  to  his 
qualifications — to  others  it  need  merely  be  said,  that  he  is — a  gentleman. 


leclaire  house. 

This  House  is  so  well  known  to  the  traveling  community,  that  any  notice  of 
it  is  almost  superfluous.  It  was  built  in  1839,  at  a  cost  of  §35,000,  by  Antoine 
LeClaire,  and  was  at  the  time  a  marvel  of  beauty  and  magnitude;  and  was 
not  excelled  anywhere  in  the  Mississippi  Valley.  It  was  for  a  time  Davenport 
proper, — inasmuch  as  it  was  the  rallying  point  for  all  residents  of  the  city,  and 
during  the  Summer  was  a  resort  for  visitors  from  St.  Louis  and  other  southern 
cities,  who  came  here  with  their  families  to  ruralize,  hunt,  escape  warm 
weather  and  yellow  fever. 

It  was  first  taken  by  Mr.  Hulse,  then  Chapman,  next  Miller,  then  Dr.  Burtis 
(the  present  proprietor  of  the  late  finished  Burtis  House,)  and  is  now  kept 
by  Messrs.  Batteman,  Swits  &  Schuyler. 

The  arrivals  for  the  past  year  have  averaged  thirty-five  per  day,  and  the 
average  of  regular  boarders  has  been  about  seventy. 


WORDEN  HOUSE. 
On  Third  Street,  between  Rock  Island  and  Perry  streets. 
This  House,  now  a  very  popular  one,  has  undergone  some  remarkable  trans- 
formations. It  was  originally  a  Nunnery,  then  a  dwelling,  a  third  rate  hotel, 
and  finally  under  the  enterprising  management  of  its  present  proprietor  A.  H. 
Cole,  Esq.,  it  has  assumed  the  proportions,  comforts,  and  appurtenances  of  a 
first-class  House.     Number  of  boarders  forty-five.     Number  of  rooms  sixty. 

NEW    PENNSYLVANIA    HOUSE. 
C.  Davis,  Proprietor. 
This  House  on  the  corner  of  Iowa  and  Fourth  streets,  has  lately  been  largely 
increased  in  size.     It  is  built  of  stone  and  its  dimensions  are  sixty-four  feet 
front,  one  hundred  and  thirty  feet  deep  and  five  stories  in  height,  and  contains 
one  hundred  and  two  rooms.     Number  of  boarders  one  hundred  and  twenty. 
It  has  one  of  the  best  wells  attached  to  it  in  the  city,  being  cut  through  solid 
rock  to  the  depth  of  150  feet,  at  a  cost  of  $1,000.     The  gentlemanly  proprie- 
tor, Mr.  Davis,  is  a  veteran  in  the  business,  and  has  long  been  identified  with 
the  buiiiness  of  Hotel  Keeping  in  Davenport.     He  is  one  of  the  oldest  settlers 
and  deservedly  enjoys  a  large  amount  of  public  patronage.     Attached  to  the 
basement  is  a  Billiard  and  Refreshment  Saloon. 

FARMERS'    HOTEL, 
William  Axderson,  Proprietor. — 76  Second  street. 


280  DAVENPORT 


DENTON    HOUSE. 

Corner  Third  and  Iowa  streets. — Benj.  Denton,  Proprietor. 

Size  fifty- seven  by  sixty-four.     Forty  rooms,  and  accommodation  for  one 

hundred  boarders.     Tliis  p(.pular  house  is  kept  on  Temperance  principles, — 

has  a  barber-shop  attached.     Mtt.  Dknton  is  from  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.,  and  is 

deservedly  liked  by  his  many  friends. 


IOWA    HOUSE. 
E.  L.  LiNDLEY,  Proprietor. — 68  Second  street. 


MECHANICS'    HOTEL. 
William  Egbert,  Proprietor. — Rock  Island,  between  Fifth  and  Sixth  streets. 


KEYSTONE    HOUSE. 
J.  K.  Bhodes,  Proprietor.— On  Harrison  street,  between  Front  and  Second. 
Sixteen  rooms.     Boarders  average  forty. 


CHICAGO    HOUSE. 
F.  Steinee,  Proprietor. — Corner  Main  and  Front  streets. 
Sixteen  rooms.     Can  accommodate  thirty  boarders. 


OLD    PENNSYLVANIA    HOUSE. 
Second  street,  between  Main  and  Harrison. — VV.  Davis,  Proprietor. 
Sixteen  rooms.     Can  accommodate  twenty-five  boarders. 


MERRITT    HOUSE. 
Jas,  Merritt,  Proprietor. — Alain  street  between  Second  and  Third. 
Twelve  rooms.     Average  fifteen  boarders. 


HOTEL    HAISCH. 
F.  Haisch,  Proprietor. — Front  street,  between  Harrison  and  Main. 

Sixteen  rooms.     Average  thirty  boarders. 


UNION    HOUSE. 
Jos.  LuDERSCHER,  Proprietor. — On  Front  street,  between  Main  and  Brady. 
Eighteen  rooms.     Average  thirty  boarders. 


STEFFEN'S    BOARDING    HOUSE 
Corner  Second  street  and  Washington  Square. 


S&i  "^iiiilllilisi'  I'i''  lili!li™iliii'n''!'il 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  281 


SCOTT    HOUSE. 

Corner  Harrison  and  Front  streets. — J.  J.  Humphrey,  Proprietor. 

Size  50  by  lOD  feet,  four  stories  high,  one  hundred  rooms.  Average  sixty 
boarders.  This  house  has  one  of  the  finest  locations  in  the  city.  It  fronts  the 
River  and  comnii  ids  a  view  of  Rocli  Island  City,  the  Island,  Fort  Armstrong, 
Mississippi  Bridge,  and  a  long  stretch  of  beautiful  scenery  up  and  down  the 
River.  It  is  the  nearest  point  to  the  Steamboat  Landing,  and  possesses  in  its 
elegant  structure,  fine  view,  excellent  accommodation,  and  worthj'  landlord, 
high  claims  to  the  patronage  of  the  public.  Board  $1.50  per  day  for  transient, 
and  $6.00  to  $8.00  per  week  for  permanent  boarders. 


36 


282  DAVKNI'oRT 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 


RELIGIOUS. 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

E^taVlishefl  in  the  Spring:  of  1838;  Pastor,  .James  D.  Mason  ;  Members,  one 
butidred  and  ninety;  Church,  forij-five  by  i-eventy  feet,  with  basement;  Sun- 
day School,  about  one  hundred  pupils  ;  Volumes  in  Library,  eight  hundred 
and  forty-one. 

DAVENPORT  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 

Thi«  Church  was  organized  on  the  30th  day  of  July,  1839.  by  Rev.  Albert 
Ha'e,  now  pastor  of  a  Presbyterian  Church  in  Springfield,  IIH'  ois,  and  then 
Agent  of  the  "  American  Home  .Missionary  Society."  Two  Congregatinnal 
Churches  then  existed  in  the  Teriitory  of  Iowa,  those  of  Denmark  and  Dan- 
ville. The  same  year  a  Congregational  Church  was  formed  in  Fairfield,  and 
the  next  year  one  at  Farmington.  These  are  the  five  oldest  Congregatitmal 
Churches  in  the  Slate,  The  original  members  of  this  Church  were  twelve  in 
number.  All  brought  letters  from  other  Chur<hes — two  from  the  First  Con- 
gregational Church  in  Qaincy,  Illinois  ;  three  fmm  the  First  Congregational 
Church  iu  Brat'leboro,'  Vtrmont;  fiur  from  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  in 
Giilesburg,  Illinois,  and  three,  from  the  First  Presbyteiian  Cbuich  in  Daven- 
port, Missionary  explorers  had  reported  a  town  here  of  "five  hundred" 
people,  and  that  '^  Steyhennon,"  in  Illinois,  had  "six  hundred."  Those  who 
united  in  the  new  Church  organization  were,  at  the  lime,  sustaining  a  Sabbath 
School  and  a  Prayer  Meeting.  "  Principles.  By  Laws,  Articles  of  Faith,  and 
a  Covenant,"  were  adopted,  (Mr.  Hale  in  ihe  Chaii,)  and  two  deacons  elected. 
In  all  these  things  the  pattern  of  the  Orthodox  Puritan  Churches  otNew  Eng- 
land was  followed.  At  first,  sermons  were  read  by  one  of  the  deacons,  on 
the  Subbath,  in  a  room  hired  for  public  worship.     The  first  ordained  minister 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  283 


who  preach- (I  to  them  wns  R-'v.  J.  P  Stuart,  of  Stephenson.  Mr  S.  was  com- 
rais-iioiK  (1  by  the  A-nerican  Home  Mis-ionary  Saciety  for  "  Stephenson  and 
vifuiity"  in  August  1839,  and  preiic'ieil  in  Davenport,  as  part  of  that  "vicin- 
ity," from  July,  1840,  to  the  beginning  of  winter.  In  September,  1841,  a  call 
was  extended  to  the  Rev.  Reuben  Gaylord,  since  pastor  at  Danville,  now  at 
0(11  iha  City,  N.  T.,  which  was  not  accepted.  The  same  month,  Rev  A.  B. 
Hitchcock,  from  the  Theological  Department  of  Yale  College,  was  invited  to 
minister  to  the  Church,  and  commissioned  'y  the  American  Home  Missionary 
Society  as  a  missionary  for  this  place.  The  Church  thpn  numbered  fifteen  or 
eighteen  metnbers.  Mr.  Hitchcock  remained  till  September  1843,  when  be  ac- 
cepted an  invitation  to  take  charge  of  a  Church  at  Moline.  During  his  minis- 
try thirty  two  members  wire  received.  In  1844,  Rev.  Ephraim  Adams,  of 
Mount  Pleasant,  was  invited  to  minister  to  the  Church,  and  commissioned  in 
November  of  that  year.  Mr.  Adams  was  installed  some  time  in  the  summer  of 
1847  as  pastor, — the  first  pastor.  The  Church  was  aided  by  the  American 
Home  Mist^ionary  Society  in  sustaining  its  minister  till  November,  1852.  Mr. 
A<lams  continued  pastor  till  185.5.  During  his  ministry  one  hundred  and 
severity-eight  persons  were  added  to  the  Church,  forty-seven  of  whom  united 
at  the  communion  in  March  1855,  the  last  preceding  Mr.  Adam's  resignation. 
The  present  pastor  commenced  his  labors  in  June,  1855,  was  called  to  the 
pastorship  in  November  of  thit  year,  and  installed  January  2d,  185G.  During 
his  ministry  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  persons  have  been  received  to  the 
Church.     It  now  numbers  two  hundred  and  forty  members. 

Others,  besides  those  mentioned  above,  have  ministered  to  the  Church  for 
shorter  periods  of  lime;  among  them  Rov.  Oliver  Emerson,  Jr.,  for  many 
years  since  pastor  at  Sahula,  during  a  number  of  months  in  1841. 

The  place  of  worship  has  been  several  times  changed.  The  Church  was 
organized  in  the  small  school  building  on  the  west  side  of  Main  street,  near 
Fdurth,  and  opposite  St.  Anthony's,  Catholic  Church.  Afterward,  Sabbath 
service  was  held  at  the  foot  of  Harrison  street,  on  the  Levee,  then  at  the  foot 
of  Brady,  then  on  Harrison,  near  Fourth,  and  then  in  the  Main  Street  School 
Hiuse  again.  The  present  Church  building,  on  Fifth  street,  was  erected  in 
1844.  It  has  been  enlarged  twice — in  185-2,  and  in  1855.  Its  original  dimen- 
sions  were  twenty-eight  feet  by  thirty-eight;  present  size,  forty  by  sixty-two 
feet. 

The  Church  owns  three  contiguous  lots  on  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Main 
street — on  one  of  which  the  place  of  worship  now  stands — extending,  in  all, 
one  hundred  and  ninety-two  feet  on  Fifth  street,  by  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
on  Main  street.  The  corner  lot  on  Main  street  was  purchased  in  August,  1855t 
with  a  view  to  the  erecti(m  of  a  larger  house  of  worship.  The  present  edifice 
is  altogether  insufficient  for  the  wants  of  the  congregation. 

The  regular  Sabbath  services  are  held  in  the  morn  ng  and  evening;  and 
the  afternoon  of  the  Sabbath  is  devoted  to  the  Sabbnth  School.  The  Monthly 
Concert  of  Prayer  for  the  conversion  of  the  world  is  held  on  the  first  Monday 


284  DAVENPORT 


evening  of  each  monlb,  and  on  other  Alnndny  cvenirig?  a  Young  People's  meet- 
ing. Priiyir  nieeliiigs  (Cor  ludiet^)  on  AVcdne^da}-  afternoon,  lUid  (for  all)  on 
TLursdiiy  evening.  Social  riittlings  to  promote  i>ersonal  acquaintance  are 
occas^ionally  held. 

The  present  officers  of  the  Church  are  as  follows  : 

Pastor,  Rev.  George  F.  Slagoun ;  Deacons,  David  Gower,  F.  B.  Abbott, 
Charles  S.  Sbelton  ;  Sunday  School  Superintendents,  Charles  S.  Sbelton,  E. 
Alden  ;  Librarian,  Jerome  C  Lambrite  ;  Church  Committee,  John  L.  Davies,  J. 
R.  Shepherd,  J.  B.  Sutton  ;  Clerk,  J.  Smith  Connor  ;  Treasurer,  H.  L.  Bullen, 

The  Sfibbath  School  numbers  something  over  two  hundred  scholars;  library 
three  hundred  volumes;  Church  library  one  hundred  and  fifty -one  volumes. 
There  is  a  Young  People's  Association  for  doitiggood,  of  forty  members.  The 
benevolent  contributions  of  the  Church  last  year  were  three  thousand  six 
hundred  and  thirty-two  dollars. 

PROTESTANT   EPISCOPAL. 

The  organization  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  Diocese  of  lovra 
was  effected  at  Muscatine  in  August  1853:  but  the  election  of  a  Bishop  did 
not  take  place  until  the  first  of  June,  1854.  The  Convention  sat  in  Daven- 
port, in  the  basement-room  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  Trinity  not 
being  ready  for  use.  The  Rt.  Riv.  Pr.  Kimper,  Missionary  Bishop  of  the 
North-west,  presided.  The  balloting  resulted  in  the  election  of  the  Rev.  Henry 
W.  Lee,  D.  D.,  then  Rector  of  St.  Lukt's  Church,  Rochester,  N.  Y.  The 
Bishop-elect  was  consecrated  in  Rochester  in  October  of  the  same  year,  and 
scon  entered  upon  his  new  duties.  Having  made  his  fiist  visitation  to  the 
Diocese,  he  selected  Davenport  as  his  place  of  residence,  it  being,  in  his  judg- 
ment, the  most  eligible  and  convenient  point  with  reference  to  his  duties. 
The  Diocese  of  Iowa  includes  the  entire  State;  and  from  thirteen  parishes, 
and  eight  clergymen  in  1854,  it  has  increased  to  thirty  parishes  and  twenty- 
five  clergymen  in  January,  1858.  Bishop  Lee,  at  the  present  time,  has  also 
the  Episcopal  charge  of  the  Territory  of  Nebraska  ;  this  being,  however,  but 
a  temporary  arrangement. 

TRINITY   CHURCH. 

The  first  and  regular  services  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  were 
commenced  in  Davenport  on  Thursday,  the  14lh  day  of  October,  1841,  by  the 
Rev.  Z.  H.  Goldsmith,  who  was  appointed  as  a  Missionary  to  the  Station  by 
the  Domestic  Committee  of  the  Board  of  Missions  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church — his  time  being  divided  at  intervals  between  Davenport  and  Rocking- 
ham, which  latter  place,  at  the  time,  promised  to  be  of  the  most  importance. 
A  Parish  was  rt-gularly  organized  at  Davenport  on  Thursday,  the  4th  op 
November,  1841,  by  the  name  and  title  of  "Trinity  Church  Parish;"  and  a 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  2^'5 


Vestry  was  elected,  resulting  in  the  following  choice  :     Ira  Cook,  J.  W.  Parker, 
W.  W.  Dodge,  Ebenezer  Cook,  H.  8.  Fiuley. 

The  regular  meetings  of  the  Parish  for  public  worship  were  held  during  a 
succession  of  years,  and  until  November  of  1853,  in  the  small  frame  building 
still  standing  on  the  -west  side  of  Main  street,  between  Fourth  and  F  fth 
streets,  occupying  the  middle  lot  of  that  half  block,  when  it  was  abandoned  as 
no  longer  tenantuble.  Divine  services  were  held  during  the  same  Tvinter  of 
1853,  and  until  April  of  1854,  in  the  store  room  at  the  north-east  corner  of 
Rock  Island  and  Second  streets,  and  from  April,  until  the  completion  and  oc- 
cupancy of  the  new  edifice  of  Trinity  church,  in  August  of  1854,  in  the  house 
of  the  present  Rector,  Rev.  A.  Louderback,  known  as  the  Emerson  House,  on 
Second  street,  between  Rock  Island  and  Pen-y  streets. 

The  incumbency  of  the  Rev.  Z.  H.  Goldsmith  continued  until  the  spring  of 
1849,  when,  in  ilie  following  year,  he  was  displaced  from  the  ministry,  and 
continued  to  reside  here  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  the  summer  of 
1853.  The  resignation  of  the  Rev.  Z.  H.  Goldsmith,  which  occurred  on  the  first 
of  April,  1840,  was  followed  by  the  call  and  settlement  of  the  present  Rector, 
Rev.  Alfred  Louderback,  as  Rector  and  Missionary,  on  the  5th  of  May  follow- 
ing, making  a  vacancy  of  one  month  in  the  Parish — since  which  time  he  has 
continued  in  uninterrupted  charge  of  the  Church.  When  he  assumed  the 
charge  of  the  Parish  and  Station,  at  a  salary  of  two  hundred  dollars  per  an- 
num, with  a  like  sura  from  the  Domestic  Committee,  he  found  the  Parish  in 
debt  some  s-even  hundred  dollars— or  twice  the  amount  of  what  the  church 
lot  and  building  were  then  considered  worth— with  about  nine  communicants 
in  all,  and  an  immense  and  increasing  prejudice  against  the  Church,  and  with 
but  little  prospect  of  its  permanent  and  successful  establishment.  Patient, 
continued,  and  persevering  efforts,  however,  amidst  no  ordinary  discourage- 
m.nts,  have  met  with  success.  For,  frequently,  after  careful  preparation  for 
the  duties  of  the  pulpit,  there  would  not  be  over  ten  or  fifteen  persons  present 
to  join  ill  the  services,  and  listen  to  the  sermon  ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  the 
Parish  was  without  a  Surplice,  or  Communion  set,  a  Melodeoii,  a  Sunday  School 
library,  or  any  of  those  external  appliances  and  aids  so  necessary  to  give  effect 
and  interest  to  the  public  services,  because  the  poverty  of  the  congregation 
would  not  admit  of  procuring  them.  At  the  expiration  of  the  second  year 
these  necessary  aids  reve  obtained,  and  also  a  complete  set  of  plans  from  Mr. 
Frank  Wills,  of  New  York  city,  who  generously  furnished  them  at  a  trifling 
cost.  A  subscription  was,  at  the  same  time,  started  with  a  view  to  building 
the  present  edifice  of  Trinity  Church,  and  on  the  5th  of  May,  1852,  just  three 
years  from  the  time  the  present  Rector  assumed  charge,  the  corner-itone  was 
laid  by  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Kemper,  D.  D  ,  then  in  Episcopal  charge  of 
Iowa,  as  yet  unorganized  into  a  Diocese.  The  walls  rose  to  their  proper  height 
during  that  year,  and  remained  bare  the  following  winter,  until  the  spring  of 
1853,  when  the  roof  was  put  on,  and  the  building  plastered  and  floored,  and 
the  windows  roughly  closed  up,  in  which  condition  it  stood  until  the  spring  of 


286  DAVENPORT 


1854,  w  en  it  WHS  determined  to  finish  it  off.  Contracts  were  made  ncoonl- 
inply,  and  its  occupation  entered  upon  by  the  congregntion  on  Sunday,  the 
20th  day  of  August,  of  the  same  year,  1854.  The  original  cost  of  the  two 
lotH  in  1851,  and  now  owned  by  the  Parish,  was  five  hundred  d  dhvrs — the  cost 
of  the  eiiifice  about  ten  thousand  dollars — the  organ,  one  of  Erben's  build,  of 
New  York  city,  and  the  generons  gift  of  Gen.  George  B.  Sargent,  sev^n  hund- 
red dollars — in  addition  to  which,  the  Parish  holds  about  eiglit  or  nine  acres 
of  ground,  being  a  part  of  the  "  Pine  Hill  Cemetery,"  as  a  burial  ground  for 
their  dead — being,  in  all,  a  property  worth,  at  the  lowen  estimate,  over  twenty 
thousand  dollars,  and  all  in  a  perfectly  safe  condition.  In  conducting  the 
Parish  to  this  gratifying  state  of  outward,  temporal  prosperity,  much  credit  and 
praise  are  due  to  the  untiring  interest,  generosity,  and  zeal  of  Mr.  Ebenezer 
Cook,  who  has  been  the  constant  friend  and  liberal  t-upporter  of  the  Parish 
throughout  its  entire  history,  without  mentioning  what  is  due  to  the  efforts  of 
the  Rector. 

The  whole  number  of  communicants,  which  have  been  connected  with  the 
Parish,  at  various  times,  is  about  one  hundred  and  forty.  Number  of  bap- 
tisms— adults,  twenty-two;  infants,  one  hundred  and  nineteen;  making  in 
all  one  hundred  and  forty-one.  Confirmations,  thirty-four ;  marriages,  thirty- 
eight;  burials,  eighty-one;  present  number  of  cotnmunicants about  sisiy-live. 
Size  of  the  Church  at  present,  about  seventy-five  feet  long,  by  thirty-five  feet 
broad,  in  the  clear,  exclusive  of  chancel  recess,  with  a  view  to  enlargement, 
at  a  future  day,  by  the  addition  of  transcepts,  so  as  to  make  a  cruciform 
building.  Capable  of  seating  about  three  hundred  persons  at  present ;  when 
enlarged,  as  plans  call  for,  affording  sittings  for  about  one  thousand  persons. 
Parochial  Library,  for  the  reading  of  the  congregation,  mostly  imported 
English  works,  of  near  four  hundred  volumes,  the  generous  gift  of  Ebenezer 
Cook.  Sunday  School  Library  of  about  one  hundred  and  forry  volumes. 
Sunday  School  scholars,  about  sixty;  teachers,  six;  Rector,  ^superintendent. 
".Parochial  Association"  meets  the  first  and  third  Tues-day  evenings  in  every 
month,  except  during  Lent,  at  the  houses  of  Parishoners,  with  a  view  to  pro- 
moting acquaintance,  and  sociality  among  the  meujbers  of  the  congregation, 
and  exciting  a  deeper  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  Parish.  Church  chaiis 
purchased,  from  the  avails  of  that  association,  at  a  cost  of  about  one  hundred 
and  seventy-five  dollars,  being  the  contribution  of  one  dime  per  month  from 
members,  with  one  dime,  also,  as  entrance  fee. 

On  the  2d  of  April,  1856,  canonical  consent  being  asked  for  the  organization 
of  a  new  Parish  by  a  few  families  formerly  connected  with  Trinity  Church,  and 
others  uniting,  the  requisite  leave  was  granted,  whic  resulted  in  the  existence 
of  St.  Luke's  Parish,  without  any  detriment  to  the  old  organization. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  287 


ST.  LUKE'S  CHURCH. 

E.stfibl  shed  April  4lh,  185fi;  Piistor,  Horatio  N.  Powers;  Number  of  mem- 
bers, foit.v  ;  Size  of  Cliiirch  one  bunJred  and  twelve  feet  by  forty-five,  with 
basement  fouiteeu  feet  high,  contaiuing  five  rooms.  Size  of  Sunday  School, 
thirty  fecholars. 

METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

E'tiiblisbed  June  l*t,  1842;  Pastor,  Geo.  Dijon  Bowen;  Members,  three 
hundred  and  seventy  five;  Cliurch,  forty-four  by  sixty-eight  feet,  with  base- 
ment; Suiidiiy  School,  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  jjupils  ;  Volumes  in 
Library,  three  hundred. 

At  the  organization  of  this  Church,  in  June,  1842,  the  society  consisted  of 
about  twenty  members,  and  were  possessed  of  no  Church  property  of  any  kind. 
Since  which  time,  another  Church  has  been  formed  from  it,  to  wit,  "  Wesley 
Chapel,"  and  the  old  organized  Church  now  numbers  three  hundred  and 
seveuty-five  members,  with  a  neat  and  comfortable  Church,  forty-fourby  sixty- 
ei  ',ht  feet,  with  end  galery,  and  class  rooms  and  lecture  room  below,  the  whole 
Church,  above  and  below,  lighted  with  gas. 

There  is  also  a  Parsonage  building  on  the  same  lot,  twenty-four  by  forty- 
five  feet,  two  storie;",  with  basemenr,  and  also  on  rear  of  same  lot,  a  neat  and 
comfortable  house  for  the  use  of  the  Sexton. 

The  entire  Church  property  is  vested  in  Trustees,  and  is  char  of  debt. 

WESLEY  CHAPEL. 

Established  1856;  Pastor,  D.  C.  Worts;  Members,  sixty;  Church,  forty  by 
sixty  ft-et;  Sunday  School,  ninety  pupils;  Volumes  in  Library,  two  hundred 
and  fifty. 

Rev.  J.  P.  Linderman  organized  the  Society,  and  was  its  first  pastor. 

FIRST  ENGLISH  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH. 

E'^tablisbed  November  25th,  1855;  Pastor,  Jacob  Steck  ;  Members,  twenty, 
five;  Sunday  School,  seventy-five  scholars;  Volumes  in  Library,  three  hund- 
red. 

Tiiis  Society  has  yet  no  Church  edifice,  but  has  one  in  contemplation,  which 
will  be  finished  next  Summer. 

FIRST  ASSOCIATE  hEFORMED  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

This  Church  is  situated  on  the  south-east  corner  of  Scott  and  Eleventh 
streets,  on  a  lot  of  ground  donated  by  Alp.  James  Mcintosh.     It  is  a  neat,  plain 


283  DAVENPORT 


frame  building,  thirty  five  by  forty-five  feet,  and  calculated  to  seat  between 
three  and  four  hundred  persons.     It  was  founded  A.  D.  1856. 

The  congregation  numbers  about  sixty  members,  and  is  under  the  Pastoral 
care  of  Rev.  Samuel  M.  Hutchison.  They  have  a  Sabbath  School  of  thirty- 
one  scholars,  and  six  teachers,  with  a  library  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-five 
volumes. 

It  may  be  observed  that  this  Church  is  in  its  infancy,  and  is  the  only  one  of 
the  kind  in  Davenport.  It  belongs  to  a  large  and  influential  bram  h  of  thy 
Presbyterian  family,  which  originated  in  a  union  of  Associate  Presbyterians 
and  Reformed  Presbyterians,  who  came  from  Scotland  and  Ireland,  as  Mis- 
sionaries, prior  to  the  revolution,  and  in  the  year  1782,  they  united  together, 
and  retaining  their  primitive  names  in  one,  have  since  been  known  by  the 
name  of  Associate  Reformed  Presbyterians.  An  effort  has  been  made  to  unite 
this  body  With  the  Associate  Presbyterians — if  this  proves  successful,  it  may 
change  the  name  of  this  Church  to  United  or  Union  Presbyterian. 

SECOND  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH,  N.  S. 

Established  May  4,1857;  Pastor,  D.  F.  Packard;  Members,  twenty-one; 
number  of  Congregation,  one  hundred;  Sunday  School,  twenty-five  pupils; 
Volumes  in  Library,  two  hundred  and  fifty. 

SECOND  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

Established  Oct.  7,  1B51  ;  Pastor,  I.  Butterfield  ;  Members,  three  hundred ; 
size  of  Church,  forty-four  by  eighty-six  feet ;  Sunday  School,  two  hundred 
and  twenty-five  pupils;  Teachers,  twenty-three;  (Mission  School,  one  hundred 
pupils ;  Teachers,  ten ;)  Volumes  in  Library,  five  hundred  ;  Mission  School, 
three  hundred. 

This  Church  was  organized  Oct.  7th,  1851,  with  sixteen  members.  They  had 
no  Pastor,  or  place  of  worship. 

Their  first  Pastor,  Rev.  E.  Miles,  commenced  his  labors  the  first  of  the  fol- 
lowing June,  and  closed  them  June  1st,  1857,  leaving  the  Church  with  one 
hundred  and  fifty  members,  and  a  well  constructed  house  of  worship,  forty- 
four  by  eiglity-six  feet. 

Their  present  Pastor,  Rev.  I.  Butterfield,  commenced  his  labors  June  1st, 
1857,  since  which  time  the  congregation  has  more  than  doubled.  They  have 
also  a  Mission  School  of  one  hundred  scholars,  ten  teachers,  and  a  Library  of 
three  hundred  volumes. 

FIRST  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

Established  1839;  Pastor,  N.  S.  Bastion;  Members,  eighty;  Church,  forty- 
five  by  seventy-five  feet — brick,  on  stone  foundation  ;  Eliz  ibethan  architecture. 
Sunday  School,  seventy  scholars ;  Volumes  in  Library,  six  hundred. 

Church  erected  in  1855 — corner  Main  and  Sixth  streets 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  289 


KUNIGUNDA  CHURCH. 

Established  1855;  Pastor,  Jean  Baptiste  Baumgartner;  Members,  about 
three  hundred  and  thirty-three  ;  Church  between  Fifth  and  Sixth  streets  ;  Sun- 
day School  in  the  Church.    No  Library. 

ST.  MARGARET'S  (ROMAN  CATHOLIC)  CHURCH. 

Established  October  1856 ;  Pastor,  H.  Cosgrove ;  Members,  about  one 
thousand  ;  Church,  forty  by  eighty  feet ;  Sunday  School,  sixty  children  ;  Vol- 
umes in  Library,  four  hundred  and  sixty. 

This  Church  was  built  by  Mr.  A.  LeClaire,  and  the  block  on  which  it  stands 
was  given  by  the  same. 

ST.  ANTHONY'S  CHURCH. 

Established  1838 ;  Pastor,  J.  A.  M.  Pelamourgues  ;  Members,  three  thousand ; 
Church,  forty-four  by  eighty-four  feet ;  School,  four  hundred  pupils  ;  Volumes 
in  Library,  five  hundred. 

GERMAN  CONGREGATION. 

Established  July  19, 1851 ;  Pastor,  A.  Frowein  ;  Members,  nineteen  ;  Church, 
twenty-five  by  forty  feet ;  Sunday  School,  thirty  pupils ;  Volumes  in  Library, 
forty. 

"  CHURCH  OF  CHRIST,"  OR  DISCIPLES'  CHURCH. 

Established  July  28th,  1839  ;  Pastor,  Eli  Regal ;  Members,  one  hundred  and 
sixty-seven;  Church,  forty  by  seventy-five  feet,  with  basement;  Sunday 
School,  fifty-five  scholars  ;  Volumes  in  Library,  two  hundred. 

This  Church  was  organized  at  an  early  day,  and  with  but  few  members,  and 
although  for  many  years  without  a  preacher,  yet  it  has  steadily  increased  in 
numbers.  Since  its  organization,  no  serious  cause  for  disagreement  has 
arisen  among  the  members,  but  disclaiming  human  creeds  and  traditions,  and 
acknowledging  the  Bible  as  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  all  differences 
being  thus  referred,  have  been  speedily  and  most  satisfactorily  settled.  The 
Church  is  now  in  a  healthy  and  highly  prosperous  condition. 

FREE-THINKERS'  ASSOCIATION. 

On  Sunday,  March  14,  1858,  a  "Society  of  Free  Inquirers"  was  organized, 
in  the  Court  House — Jonathan  Parker  in  the  Chair,  and  Th.  Guelich  Secretary. 
Dr.  Hall,  Robt.  Mcintosh,  and  Th.  Guelich,  were  appointed  a  committee  on 
Constitution,  &c. 

87 


290 


DAVENPORT 


SCOTT  COUNTY  BIBLE  SOCIETY. 

The  Scott  County  Bible  Society,  auxiliary  to  the  American  Bible  Society, 
was  organized  in  the  city  of  Davenport  on  the  13th  day  of  September,  A.  D.  1842, 
at  which  time  a  Constitution  was  formed  and  adopted,  which  continued  with- 
out material  alteration  or  amendment  until  the  present  time. 
The  oiBcers  elected  at  the  organization  were — 
Rev.  D.  Worthington,  President ;  Charles  Leslie,  Secretary. 
And  at  the  subsequent  anniversary  meetings  the  minutes  of  the  Society  show 
the  following  election  of  officers : 

In  1843,  Rev.  Z.  H.  Goldsmith,  President;  Rev.  D.  Worthington,  Secretary ; 
Wm.  L.  Cook,  Treasurer. 

Who  continued  until  1847,  when — 

Rev.  Z.  H.  Goldsmith  was  elected  President ;  Rev.  Ephraim  Adams,  Secre- 
tary ;  Wm.  L.  Cook,  Treasurer. 

In  1848,  Rev.  Ephraim  Adams,  President;  Asa  Prescott,  Secretary;  Alfred 
Saunders,  Treasurer. 

In  1849,  Rev.  Ephraim  Adams,  President;  Asa  Prescott,  Secretary;  Rufus 
Ricker,  Treasurer. 

In  1850,  Rev,  J.  D.  Mason,  President;  Rev.  Asa  Prescott,  Secretary;  Rufus 
Ricker,  Treasurer. 

In  1851,  Rev.  J.  D.  Mason,  President ;  H.  Price,  Treasurer  ;  Rev.  H.  L. 
Bullen,  Secretary. 

In  1852,  Rev.  J.  D.  Mason,  President ;  H.  Price,  Treasurer;  Rev.  H.  L.  Bul- 
len, Secretary. 

In  1853,  Rev.  J.  D.  Mason,  President;  Prof.  D.  S.  Sheldon,  Secretary;  Jno. 
H.  Morton,  Treasurer. 

In  1854,  H.  Price,  President;  Rev.  J.  D.  Mason,  Secretary  ;  James  L.  Dal- 
zell.  Treasurer. 

In  1855,  H.  Price,  President;  Rev.  J.  D.  Mason,  Secretary,  Jas.  M.  Dalzell, 
Treasurer. 

In  1856,  Strong  Burnell,  President;  Rev.  J.  D.  Mason,  Secretary;  H.  Price, 
Treasurer. 

In  1857,  H.  T.  Slaymaker,  President;  Rev.  J.  D.  Mason,  Secretary;  H.  Price, 
Treasur  r. 

And  the  Treasurer's  books  show  also  that  the  aggregate  receipts  have  been 
eleven  hundred  and  one  dollars  and  forty-seven  cents.  The  receips  for  the 
first  year  were  nine  dollars  and  thirty-seven  cents,  and  for  the  last  year  three 
hundred  and  forty-eight  dollars,  showing  a  steady  increase  in  the  collections 
of  the  Society,  equal  if  not  exceeding  the  increase  in  wealth  and  population  of 
the  county. 

This  money  has  all  been  expended  in  the  purchase  of  bibles  and  testaments 
in  different  languages,  which  have  been  distributed  (except  some  which  are 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  291 


now  on  hand,)  among  the  inhabitants  of  this  city  and  county,  without  any 
distinction  of  sect  or  party. 

The  Depository  of  this  Society  is  at  present  at  the  Publishing  House  of 
Luse,  Lane  &  Co.,  No.  55  Per-y  street,  between  Second  and  Third  streets, 
Davenport.  The  names  of  persons  contributing  to  the  funds  of  the  Society 
are  registered  on  the  Treasurer's  book,  and  thereby  become  members  of  the 
Society. 

RECAPiTcri-A.TioN. — Church  Members,  5,'700 ;  Sunday  School  Pupils,  1,096> 
Sunday  School  Libraries,  8,819  volumes. 


CHAPTER    XXX. 


EDUCATIONAL 


The  State  of  Iowa  possesses  a  liberarEducational  system — having  obtained 
from  Congress  a  grant  of  five  hundred  thousand  acres  of  land,  whose  proceedg 
are  devoted  entirely  to  the  support  of  Common  and  Academic  Schools.  While 
the  State  has  taken  such  a  high  position  in  the  encouragement  of  Education, 
Davenport  is  in  nowise  behind.  Schools  are  ample  in  number,  and  first  in 
character ;  and  this  is  equally  applicable  to  both  public  and  private  institu- 
tions. The  buildings  belonging  to  the  public  schools  are  almost  without  ex- 
ception, costly  and  commodious  structures,  which  combine  at  once  elegance, 
consideration  of  health  and  convenience. 

PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 

ScHooii  District  No.  2. — There  are  in  this  District  nine  hundred  and  seventy- 
six  children  entitled  to  school  privileges,  and  an  average  attendance  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty. 

The  District  was  organized  1853,  and  the  same  year  a  stone  house  was  erected 
corner  of  Perry  and  Seventh  streets,  at  a  cost  of  eight  thousand  dollars.  It 
is  two  stories  in  height,  with  a  basement  residence  for  the  Principal,  and  will 
comfortably  accommodate  five  hundred  scholars. 

The  School  is  graded — having  Private,  Intermediate,  and  Grammar  School 
Departments.  There  are  included  in  the  branches  taught,  besides  the  com- 
mon, Higher  Mathematics,  Philosophy,  Chemistry,  Astronomy,  Physiology, 
History,  Drawing,  Book  Keeping,  &c. 

J.  H.  Bowers,  Principal ;  Miss  Sarah  TJradley,  Assistant  in  Grammar  School ; 
Miss  Julia  Humphrey,  Intermediate  Department ;  Misses  Mary  Slater  and 
Elizabeth  Bowers,  Primary  Department. 

School  District  No.  17. — District  organized,  and  brick  school  house  sufiB- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  293 


cient  for  niaety  scholars— erected  in  1855 — on  Sixteenth  street,  between  Main 
and  Harrison  street.  There  are  now  in  the  District  three  hundred  and  ninety- 
three  school  children. 

This  winter  the  school-house  accommodations  were  found  to  be  entirely  in- 
sufficient, and  three  schools  were,  therefore,  opened  as  follows  : 

First  School — (in  brick  school  house,)  average  attendance,  one  hundred  and 
twenty.     Frank  M'Clellan,  Teacher  ;  Miss  A.  M.  Lindsley,  Assistant. 

Second  School — On  Brady  street,  north  of  Locust.  Average  attendance, 
forty-nine.     Peter  Van  Ornam,  Teacher. 

Third  School — Corner  of  Rock  Island  and  Locust  street.  Average  attend- 
ance, thirty.     Miss  E.  J.  Kelly,  Teacher. 

School  District  No.  5. — This  District  returns  three  hundred  and  three 
school  children,  with  ninety  as  the  average  attendance. 

There  is  a  fine  two  story  stone  school-house,  forty  by  twenty-five  feet,  and 
capable  of  accommodating  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  scholars  ;  corner  of 
Second  and  Pine  streets  ;  it  was  erected  in  1855,  and  enlarged  in  1857 — cost 
three  thousand  dollars. 

The  District  was  organized  in  1850.  J.  8.  Coates,  Teacher ;  Mrs.  A.  W.Reed, 
Assistant. 

This  District  embraces  the  Third  street  West  End  settlement,  and  extends 
beyond  the  city  limits. 

School  District  No.  7. — Organized  in  1850,  There  are  now  twelve  hundred 
school  children,  with  an  average  attendance  in  the  public  school  of  three  hund- 
red and  eighty.  In  1857,  a  large,  and  handsome  brick  school-house,  42  by  62 
feet,  and  three  stories,  (with  grounds  for  calisthenic  exercises  attached,)  was 
erected,  at  a  cost  of  about  sixteen  thousand  dollars  ;  corner  of  Warren  and 
Sixth  streets. 

The  school  is  thoroughly  graded,  and  in  addition  to  common  studies,  em- 
braces all  the  higher  branches  of  a  complete  English  education. 

A.  S.  KLesell,  Principal ;  Miss  M.  A.  Scofield,  Assistant  in  Grammar  School ; 
Miss  M.  M.  Townley,  Secondary  Department ;  Miss  Helen  Lusk,  Secondary  De- 
partment ;  Miss  M.  M.  Lyon,  first  Assistant  in  Primary  Department ;  Miss 
Sarah  E.  Washburn,  and  Miss  C.  E.  Williams,  Primary  Department. 

School  District  No.  10. — Organized  in  1854.  Children  in  District,  two 
hundred  and  thirty-seven ;  average  attendance,  sixty-eight. 

There  is  a  respectable  frame  school-house,  capable  of  accommodating  eighty 
scholars,  on  Main  street,  west  of  Mound,  (East  Davenport.) 

A.  M.  Geiger,  Teacher ;  Miss  Cornelia  M'Carn,  Assistant. 

SELECT  AND  OTHER  SCHOOLS. 

German  and  English  School. — Established  in  1857,  in  the  St.  Kunigunda 
Catholic  Church  ;  has  sixty  scholars.     Henry  Koehler,  Teacher. 

Catholic  School. — Large  two  story  frame  school-house  on  Church  Square, 


294  DAVENPORT 


rear  of  St.  Anthony's  Church,  erected  in  1856  ;  which  was,  however,  only  an 
addition  to  other  school  buildings  near  at  hand.  This  school  was  first  opened 
in  ;s,.,  by  Rev.  J.  A.  M.  Pelamourgues.  There  are  now  about  forty-seven 
scholars  in  attendance. 

Rev.  J.  A.  M.  Pelamourgues,  Principal ;  J.  D.  Smith,  and  Mrs.  Sullivan, 
Assistants  in  Male  Department. 

Eight  Sisters  conduct  the  Female  Department. 

German  School. — Brick  school-house,  corner  Warren  and  Fourth  streets. 
Established  in  1853  ;  sixty-two  scholars.     John  H.  True,  Teacher. 

Select  Schools. — L.  C.  Burwell,  in  Grigg's  Hall  block — thirty-two  scholars. 

Miss  Byron,  in  Fonst's  block — fifteen  scholars. 

Misses  Lyon  &  Munn,  corner  Perry  and  Fifth  streets — thirty-five  scholars. 

Misses  Severance  &  Bennett,  in  Bailey's  Hall. 

Mrs.  Stevens,. on  Main  street,  above  Eighth — eighteen  scholars. 

"W.  Wier,  on  Main  street,  opposite  Catholic  Church — twelve  scholars. 

Mrs.  N.  Crockett,  Young's  Block,  Brady  street — twenty  scholars. 

German  and  American  Instit0Te — On  Scott  street,  between  Third  and 
Fourth.  W.  Riepe  and  Louise  Riepe,  teachers — thirty  scholars.  Ladies'  and 
Boys'  Departments. 

Davenport  Commercial  College — In  Jacoby's  new  building,  corner  of  Third 
and  Perry  streets.  The  course  embraces  Double  Entry  Book-keeping,  as  ap- 
plicable to  every  branch  of  Trade,  viz  :  Wholesale,  Retail,  Forwarding  and 
Commission,  Banking,  Steam  Boating,  Joint  Stock  and  Compound  Company 
Business,  both  Individual  and  Partnership,  and  as  comprehensive  as  at  any 
similar  Institution  in  the  United  States. 

Commercial  Calculations  and  Correspondence  form  a  part  of  the  course, 
together  with  a  course  of  Lectures  on  Commercial  Law,  by  an  able  lecturer. 
There  is  in  connection  with  the  Institution,  and  under  the  immediate  super- 
vision of  the  Principals,  a  Ladies  Department,  in  which  Book-keeping  and 
Penmanship  will  be  thoroughly  taught.  Every  facility  will  be  afforded  to 
pupils  to  enable  them  to  complete  the  course  in  the  shortest  possible  time. 
J.  C.  Lopez,  Principal ;  W.  H.  Pratt,  Assistant  Principal. 

Mount  Ida  Female  College. — This  Institution  was  organized  in  Davenport, 
and  commenced  its  first  Session  on  the  Vth  day  of  September,  1857,  under  the 
direction  of  Rev.  M.  McEendree  Tooke,  A.  M.,  and  Lady,  through  whose  in- 
strumentality the  "  Mount  Ida  College  Association"  has  recently  been  or- 
ganized, and  under  whose  auspices  this  College  is  placed. 

The  principal  object  of  this  Association  is  the  promotion  of  the  higher 
educational  interests  of  the  Young  Ladies  of  the  West. 

The  unfinished  building,  formerly  designated  as  the  "  Ladies  College,"  which 
was  commenced  and  prosecuted  with  commendable  energy  for  a  time,  by  Mr. 
T.  H.  Codding,  has  recently  been  purchased,  and  is  now  being  fitted  up  in  the 
most  approved  style  of  Eastern  Colleges.     The  Boarding  Hall,  (now  neatly 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  295 


finished,)  and  dormitories,  are  sufSciently  commodious  to  accommodate  one 
hundred  Young  Ladies  as  boarders.  The  Session  Rooms  have  just  been  fur- 
nished with  the  nicest  styles  of  Boston  furniture,  diagonally  arranged,  and  the 
three  commodious  parlors  have  been  neatly  papered,  grained,  carpeted,  and 
furnished  with  new  and  elegant  pianos,  &c.,  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
Musical  and  Ornamental  Department. 

The  building  itself,  is  a  substantial  brick  edifice,  four  stories  high,  and  when 
enlarged  and  completed,  as  now  designed,  with  two  wings,  each  fronting  the 
river  on  Third  street  thirty-five  feet,  and  extending  northward,  parallel  with 
Bridge  and  College  avenues,  eighty  feet,  making  in  all  a  front  of  one  hundred 
and  thirty  feet  by  eighty,  rear,  and  finished  with  appropriate  embellishments, 
verandahs,  oDservatory,  &c.,  with  grounds  beautifully  laid  out,  and  newly 
fenced — will  cost,  it  is  thought,  inclusive  of  the  beautiful  plat  of  four  acres  of 
ground  upon  which  it  is  situated,  between  seventy-five  and  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  and  will  accommodate  from  three   to  five  hundred  students. 

The  College  is  situated  on  a  delightful  eminence  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
city,  surrounded  by  a  beautiful  grove,  overlooking  the  main  part  of  the  city  of 
Davenport,  with  her  sister  cities  of  Rock  Island  and  Moline  in  full  view,  and 
commands  a  most  enchanting  view  of  the  celebrated  "Father  of  Waters"  for  a 
distance  of  nearly  sixteen  miles,  with  its  life-like  steamers  passing  and  re- 
passing almost  every  hour. 

This  combines  most  charmingly  for  educational  purposes,  all  the  advantages 
both  of  country  and  city  location,  and  in  general  healthfulness,  purity  of 
moral  atmosphere,  sublimity  and  beauty  of  scenery,  is  not  excelled,  it  is 
thought,  by  that  of  any  similar  Institution  of  this  nation.  The  central 
position  also  of  this  enterprise,  will  always  render  it  easy  of  access  from  all 
points  of  compass — from  North  and  South,  by  the  palace-like  Packets  upon  the 
Mississippi;  and  from  east  and  west,  by  the  Chicago  and  Rock  Island  Rail- 
road, which  crosses  the  Mississippi  upon  the  magnificent  Railroad  Bridge  near 
Fort  Armstrong,  in  full  view  of  the  College  edifice,  and  the  Mississippi  and 
Missouri  Railroad  passing  on  Westward  through  the  interior  of  Iowa,  inter- 
sected by  various  railroad  branches. 

Four  Departments  are  established  in  this  Institution,  viz  : 

1.  A  Model  School  for  Misses. 

2.  An  Academic  Department,  preparatory  to  entering  the  Collegiate. 

3.  A  Collegiate  Department,  embracing  substantially  the  Scientific  and 
Classical  course  recently  established  for  Female  Colleges,  by  a  Convention  of 
Presidents  of  Colleges  held  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

4.  A  Musical  and  Ornamental  Department. 

This  College  being  incorporated  with  the  highest  collegiate  powers,  full  and 
formal  Diplomas  conferring  appropriate  literai-y  degrees,  are  awarded  to  those 
Young  Ladies  who  sustain  a  satisfactory  examination  in  the  prescribed  course 
of  study,  or  such  other  branches  as  may  by  the  Faculty  and  Curators  be 
deemed  an  equivalent. 


296  DAVENPORT 


Facuity. — Rev.  M.  McKendree  Tooke,  A.  M.,  President,  Prof,  of  Intellectual 
and  Moral  Science,  and  Belles  Lettres. 

Rev.  D.  R.  Carrier,  A.  M.,  Prof,  of  Ancient  Languages  and  Mathematics. 

Mrs.  L.  P.  Tooke,  M.  P.  L.,  Adj.  Prin.,  Prof,  of  Modern  Languages,  and 
Ornamental  Branches. 

Mrs.  D.  R.  Carrier,  M.  P.  L.,  Teacher  of  Natural  Science  and  higher  English 
branches. 

Miss  Matie  J.  Tooke,  Teacher  of  Vocal  and  Instrumental  Music. 

Mrs.  Mary  A.  Soule,  Assistant  Teacher  in  Academic  and  Model  School  De- 
partment. 

Miss  Lucia  A.  Crandall,  Assistant  Teacher  on  Piano  Forte  and  Guitar. 

Rev.  Justus  Soule,  Steward,  and  Financial  Agent. 

A  large  and  intelligent  Board  of  Council  and  Visitors,  have  been  selected 
from  this  and  adjacent  cities.  The  following  gentlemen  have  been  already 
chosen  as  Directors  or  Curators  in  the  College  Association  : 

Col.  Adrian  H.  Davenport,  of  LeClaire ;  George  McCullough,  Esq.,  of  Iowa 
City  ;  Hon.  Judge  Cook,  Willard  Barrows,  Esq.,  Prof.  J.  Dial,  and  Rev.  M.  M. 
Tooke,  of  Davenport. 

Additional  Directors  are  hereafter  to  be  chosen  in  this  Asaooiation. 

THE  EDUCATION  OF  OUR  DAUGHTERS.* 

While  it  is  true  that  the  improvement  of  our  city,  and  the  development  of 
the  county  are  important  and  desirable,  yet  they  are  not  more  important  than 
the  improvement  of  the  minds  and  morals  of  our  children.  And  although  the 
attention  of  many  of  our  Western  people  has  been  largely  centered  upon  trade 
and  speculation,  and  the  development  of  the  physical  resources  of  the  country, 
yet  the  time  has  now  come  when  our  citizens  are  beginning  to  recognize  their 
responsibility  in  reference  to  the  proper  education  of  their  children.  Large 
and  commodious  buildings  have  been  erected  in  this  city,  for  the  advancement 
of  our  public  schools.  A  college  for  young  gentlemen  has  also  been  estab- 
lished in  this  city,  by  the  Congregational  Church,  and  efforts  are  now 
being  made  for  the  establishment  of  a  first  class  Female  College  also  in 
this  place,  to  which  we  shall  refer  in  the  sequel.  That  '*  woman  is  the  ornament  of 
the  palace,  and  the  sunshine  of  the  cabin"  in  every  country  where  she  is  properly 
educated,  is  a  truth  generally  conceded.  And  if  it  be  true  that  society  in  all 
its  forms,  is  to  a  large  extent  dependent  upon  and  indebted  to  the  influence  of 
woman  for  its  elevation  and  success,  how  appropriate  in  anticipating  the 
interests  of  society  in  the  future,  that  we  now  encourage  the  proper  education 
of  the  Young  Ladies  of  our  country. 

We  have  no  hesitation  in  affirming,  that  a  thorough  education  is  the  richest 
patrimony  that  parents  can  possibly  confer  upon  their  daughters.     And  what 

*  CoHtributed  by  M.  M.  Tooke. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  297 


we  mean  by  a  thorough  education  is  not  merely  to  enable  them  to  read,  write, 
and  cipher  a  little,  as  was  thought  quite  sufficient  for  our  grandmothers  in 
olden  times,  not  a  little  smattering  in  a  few  of  the  more  fashionable  accom- 
plishments merely,  nor  is  it  to  become  mere  "  book  worms,"  and  look  down 
with  polite  horror  upon  the  appropriate  duties  of  the  "true  woman"  in  domes- 
tic life,  but  a  solid,  thorough,  and  useful  education  of  body,  TKinrf,  and  htart,  such 
as  will  fit  them  for  the  sober  realities  and  high  responsibilities  of  life.     Such 
an  education  will  be  to  them  emphatically  2i  fortune  in  person,  which  they  can 
never  lose,  but  which  will  raise  them  to  positions  of  honor,  influence,  and  use- 
fulness in  the  midst  of  the  most  elevated  state  of  society.      Let  me  whisper  in 
every   parent's  ear,  and  suggest  to  him  that  ^'^  it  will  pay ,"  thus  to   educate 
his  daughter.     Suppose  you  look  at  this  subject  a  moment  in  the  light  simply 
of  pecuniary  gain — of  mere  dollars  and  cents — (the  only  sense  through  which 
many  are  capable  of  seeing  with  clea  ness  in  this  age  of  speculation  and  in- 
vestment-)    Suppose  that  daughter  of  thine  should  be  thrown  out  upon  her 
own  resources  for  a  livelihood.     Under  such  circumstances,  with  ordinary  ca- 
pacity of  mind,  and  health  of  body,  she  could  earn  say  one  hundrod  dollars  a 
year  at  ordinary  service  without  an  education.      But  with  a  thorough  educa- 
tion, as  an  accomplished  Instructor,  she  can  earn  from  three  to  five  hundred 
dollars  a  year.     Subtracting  the  one  hundred  say  from  four  hundred,  we  have 
an  annual  income  to  be  credited  to  education  of  three  hundred  dollars.      Now 
suppose  it  costs    to  educate  that  daughter,  in  tuition  books,  and  extra  ex- 
penses, exclusive  of  board,  (for  these  she  must  have  whether  she  attends  school 
or  not,)  say  four  hundred  dollars.     We  have  then  an  annual  income  upon  the 
capital  actually  invested  in  her  education  of  seventy-five  per  cent — a  much 
better  interest  you  see  than  is  realized  on  most  bank  or  railroad  stock  in  these 
days!     Besides,  this  is  a  permanent  and  imperishable  investment.     Ordinary 
investments  in  the  mere  perishable  may  "  take  to  themselves  wings  and  fly 
away,"  but  this  we  believe  will  not  only  be  permanent  and  available  here  in 
this  lite,  but  to  some  good  extent  when  this  mortal  shall  put  on  immortality. 
But  may  we  not  come  to  fathers  and  brothers  on  this  subject  with  a  nobler 
motive  for  the  education  of  their  daughters  and  sisters,  than  the  assurance 
that  it  "  will  pay"  in  dollars  and  cents  ?      Can  you  in  the  pride  and  manliness 
of  your  hearts,  look  upon  those  beloved /amtZ^  jewels,  sparkling  even  in  their 
uncultivated  beauty,  and  deny  them  this  heaven-sent  boon?     Nay  1  would  you 
not  rather  use  your  influence   to  polish  those  "  gems  of  immortality,"  and  fit 
them  not  only  to  shine  as  lights  in  the  world  below,  but  as  radiant   and  still 
brightning  stars  in  the  coronet  of  Angels  and  of  God,  in  brighter  worlds  on 
high! 

Pause  a  moment,  and  gaze  upon  the  nature  of  mind  itself.  See  those  powers 
of  thought — of  genius — those  towering  susceptibilities  and  lofty  aspirations  of 
Boul  longing  for  activity,  yearning  for  appropriate  exercise  and  development — 
and  will  you  lend  your  influence  to  cripple  their  energies?  or  will  you  allow 
them  to  become  stultified  or  dwarfed  by  inactivity  or  neglect  in  youth?     How 

38 


298  DAVENPORT 


many  painful  regrets  have  been  scattered  along  the  pathway  of  thousands,  in 
after  years,  because  of  such  early  neglects  I  ouppose  you  give  that  blooming 
daughter  a  farm,  or  thousands  in  bank  stocli,  instead  of  an  education,  she  will 
feel  and  kment  her  deficiencies  and  inferiority  as  long  as  she  lives,  and  regret 
in  vain  that  a  large  portion  of  that  dowcry  had  not  been  expended  in  her  ed- 
ucation, which'  would  have  been  worth  more  to  her  than  ten  thousand  times 
the  same  amount  of  earthly  treasures. 

Looking  away  from  the  benefits  which  the  subjects  of  female  education 
themselves  shall  realize,  to  the  influence  which  female  refinement  would  exert 
upon  the  young  men  of  our  country,  in  stimulating  them  to  greater  mental 
activity  and  laudable  emulation,  we  find  a  prominent  reason  for  its  promotion. 
Besides  it  would  obviate  the  necessity  of  our  educated  sons  of  promise  becom- 
ing associated  with  companions  of  no  mental  culture,  whose  tastes  and  pecu- 
liarities must  almost  necessarily  produce  a  disparity  and  alienation  of  feeling 
between  thena,  destructive  of  domestic  peace  and  happiness,  and  promotive  of 
drunkenness  and  dissipation.  Already  is  it  intimated  that  because  of  a  want 
of  opportunity  for  mental  culture  on  the  part  of  the  young  ladies  of  the  West 
the  young  men,  in  a  similar  ratio,  are  relaxing  their  mental  energies,  and  but 
few  are  aspiring  to  graduation  in  any  of  our  colleges.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the 
masses  of  our  citizens  in  this  rich  and  fertile  country  are  destined  to  be 
wealthy,  and  ere  long  these  noble  bluffs  and  beautiful  prairies  will  be  dotted 
over  Vi'ith  lovely  mansions  and  palatial  dwellings,  and  to  become  the  regula- 
tors, the  ornaments,  the  "sunshine,"  the  '-joy,"  of  these  mansions  and  palaces, 
the  daughters  of  the  West  should  be  enlightened  and  refined.  Indeed,  all  the 
circumstances  of  this  beautiful  West,  and  of  the  age  in  which  we  live,  require 
the  constant  elevation  of  the  female  mind.  Our  new  States  are  now  demand- 
ing thousands  of  teachers  for  our  primary  schools.  And  as  in  the  older  States, 
the  larger  proportion  of  the  education  of  our  youth  has  been  most  honorably 
conducted  by  females,  so  also  must  the  daughters  of  the  West  be  trained  for 
this  great  work  if  we  would  ever  properly  educate  the  masses. 

The  progressive  character  of  the  age  in  which  we  live  requires  a  more 
thorough  education  of  the  female  mind  among  us.  The  education  of  the  past 
will  not  answer  for  the  future,  and  those  who^would  keep  up  with  the  world's 
progress,  and  help  to  mould  its  character,  and  hasten  and  consumate  its  bright- 
ness, by  the  ushering  in  of  that  auspicious  period,  long  echoed  by  ancient 
Prophets,  when  "  Wisdom  and  knowledge  shall  be  the  stability  of  our  times, 
and  strength  of  salvation,"  must  encour.ige  the  educators  of  the  race. 

The  signs  of  the  times  are  beckoning  onward  the  determined,  the  energetic 
the  noble  spirited  daughters  of  the  West  to  higher  attainments.  The  wealth  " 
of  the  country  is  rapidly  increasing,  educational  institutions  are  being  multi- 
plied among  us — expenses  are  diminished — parents  are  waking  up  to  the  im- 
portance of  female  education,  and  will  do  anything  in  their  power  to  encourage 
and  aid  a  beloved  daughter  longing  for  improvement,  and  struggling  for  an 
education.      Mount  Ida  Female  College,  recently  organized  in  this  place,  an 


PAST  AND  PKESENT.  299 


account  of  whicb  we  have  just  given,  is  destined  at  no  distant  day,  we  trust,  to 
become  not  only  the  Queen  of  the  "  Queen  City,"  but  the  Queen  of  the  West 
itself,  and  constitute  an  efiScient  instrumentality  in  the  accomplishment  of  this 
great  and  glorious  work.  And  it  is  hoped  that  all  our  citizens,  friendly  to  the 
cause  of  female  education  in  the  West,  will  in  some  substantial  manner  bid  her 
*'  God  speed"  in  this  labor  of  love. 

LADIES'  EDUCATION  SOCIETY. 

Febuary  5tb,  1858,  a  numbej  of  ladies  met  at  the  residence  of  Charles  E. 
Putnam,  Esq.,  and  organized  the  "Ladies'  Education  Society,  of  Davenport, 
Iowa."  Art.  1,  of  their  Constitution  reads  as  follows:  "This  association 
shall  be  called  'The  Ladies'  Education  Society,'  the  object  of  which  shall  be  to 
assist  promising  and  suitable  young  ladies  in  obtaining  au  Education."  Mrs, 
K.Christie,  President;  Mrs.  S.  Burwell,  Vice  President;  Mrs.  Dr.  Shelton, 
Secretary;  Mrs.  Chas.  E.  Putnam,  Treasuress.  There  is  also  a  Board  of 
thirteen  Directresses. 

IOWA  COLLEGE. 

The  first  movements  toward  the  establishment  of  a  College  in  Iowa,  accord- 
ing to  what  is  known  as  the  "  New  England  plan" — the  plan  of  Harvard,  Yale, 
Brown,  Bowdoin,  Dartmouth,  Amherst,  &c.,  &c., — were  made  in  the  years 
1841-4.  In  the  Spring  of  1844,  a  called  meeting  was  held  at  Denmark,  Lee 
county.  Those  who  attended  it  were  principally  Congregational  and  Presby- 
terian ministers,  and  christians  of  those  denominations,  with  some  others.  The 
first  plan  was  to  secure  a  township  of  land,  and  College  colony.  A  gentleman 
in  Kesauqua  ofi"ered  a  tract  in  Buchanan  county,  with  a  water  power  on  the 
Wapsipinecon  River  for  the  purpose.  A  committee  (Rev.  J.  A.  Reed,  of  Fair- 
field, Seth  Richards,  Esq.,  of  Bentonsport,  and  Jonas  Houghton,  Esq.,  of  Far- 
mington,)  were  appointed  to  examine  locations.  This  committee  called  a  meet- 
ing in  April,  1844,  to  report.  Thirteen  persons  were  present,  who  then  formed 
the  "  Iowa  College  Association."  The  committee  made  a  favorable  report,  an 
agent  was  appointed  to  collect  funds  in  the  East,  with  which  to  enter  the  land, 
and  certain  regulations  were  adopted.  At  the  East,  however,  the  agent  was 
discouraged,  and  prevented  from  collecting  funds,  and  this  part  of  the  plan 
was  given  up  in  accordance  with  the  suggestions  of  a  meeting  of  friends  of 
Western  Education,  held  in  the  city  of  Boston,  May  28  and  29,  1844.  It  was 
decided  first  to  get  a  location,  when  the  institution  itself  could  commence  ope- 
rations, and  then  attempt  to  secure  an  endowment.  After  several  meetings,  it 
was  concluded  (1846)  to  locate  at  Davenport;  "provided  the  citizens  would 
raise  $1500  for  buildings,  and  furnish  certain  specified  grounds  for  a  site."  At 
a  meeting  held  Jan.  20, 1847,  it  was  voted,  notwithstanding  the  conditions  were 
not  fully  complied  with,  to  commence  operations  at  Davenport,  with  the  under- 


ytzzz: 


300  DAVENPORT 


standing  that  the  subscriptions  should  be  increased  as  much  as  possible.  The 
members  of  the  Association  had  pledged  themselves  to  ''raise  $100  each"  in 
the  State,  and  "  through  private  friends  in  the  East."  Some  of  them  made 
great  efforts  and  sacrifices  to  do  this.  Christian  ladies,  living  in  different 
parts  of  the  State,  did  nobly  in  the  work.  With  these  funds,  and  those  secured 
in  the  town,  the  first  building  was  erected,  (near  Western  Avenue,  between 
Sixth  and  Seventh  streets — now  the  residence  of  S.  S.  Gillet,  Esq.)  It  was  a 
small  one  story  brick  edifice,  with  a  plain  cupola.  About  this  time  twelve 
trustees  were  elected  by  the  Association,  two  of  them  residents  of  Davenport. 
The  trustees  were  incorporated  under  the  Statute,  June  4,  1847.  The  threat- 
ened deficiency  in  the  funds  was  provided  for  at  a  meeting  of  the  original 
"College  Association,"  and  "trustees"  held  conjointly  that  day,  by  a  resolu- 
tion binding  those  present  to  pay  the  same  within  one  year  from  date,  "  pro- 
vided the  amount  does  not  exceed  $600,"  (not  an  inconsiderable  sum  at  that 
stage  of  the  history  of  the  Territory.)  The  Institution  was  opened  November, 
1848,  with  one  teacher,  Rev.  Prof.  Ripley.  The  first  College  Class  was  formed 
in  1850.  Since  that  time  instruction  has  been  sustained,  though  much  inter- 
rupted in  1844-5,  by  the  abandonment  of  the  old  site,  on  account  of  the  con- 
templated cutting  of  streets  through  it. 

Seven  young  men  have  graduated  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  the 
first  class  of  two  in  the  year  1854.  The  Institution  generally  has  about  a 
hundred  students — of  whom  ten  are  in  the  College  proper.  During  the  last 
year  young  ladies  have  been  admitted  to  the  advanced  classes.  About  twenty 
have  been  in  attendance. 

Candidates  for  a'mission  to  the  Freshman  Class  must  be  fourteen  years  of 
age,  present  adequate  testimonials  of  good  moral  character,  and  sustain  a 
satisfactory  examination  in  English  Grammar,  Geography,  Arithmetic,  Alge- 
bra, (through  Simple  Equations,)  Latin  Grammar,  Caesar's  Commentaries, 
Cicero's  Select  Orations,  Virgil,  Greek  Grammar,  and  the  Anabasis — or  their 
equivalents. 

The  stated  times  for  the  examination  of  candidates  are — the  day  before  the 
close  of  the  Summer  Term,  and  the  day  before  the  commencement  of  the  Fall 
Term. 

Candidates  for  admission  to  advanced  standing,  in  addition  to  the  abovC) 
must  sustain  an  examination  in  those  studies  to  which  the  class  they  propose 
to  enter  has  attended  ;  and  if  from  another  College,  a  certificate  of  their  good 
standing  in  the  same  must  be  presented  to  the  Faculty. 

The  studies  pursued  in  the  College  proper  are  those  required  in  the  first  In- 
stitutions of  the  East.  ■  An  elevated  grade  of  scholarship  is  aimed  at,  rather 
than  the  securing  of  the  attendance  of  Inrge  numbers.  The  instructors  are  all 
liberally  educated  men,  of  first  rate  competency  and  experience  in  their  pro- 
fession. 

The  new  site — of  ten  acres — between  Brady  and  Harrison  streets,  above 
Tenth — was  purchased  in  March,   1854 — and   the    Boarding   House   erected 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  301 


thereon  that  year.  The  present  College  edifice  was  erected  in  1855,  at  a  cost 
of  $22,000.  W.  L.  Carroll,  architect.  It  crowns  the  highest  point  of  land  in 
the  city  limits,  and  commands  an  extensive  view  of  the  river,  the  neighboring 
region  of  Illinois,  and  the  country  for  miles  back  of  Davenport.  Travelers 
pronounced  the  prospect  from  the  observatory  unsurpassed.  The  building 
itself  is  one  of  the  finest  structures  in  the  State. 

It  is  built  of  limestone;  three  stories  high,  with  a  basement;  and  contains 
a  large  room  for  the  use  of  the  Preparatory  and  English  Departments,  which, 
for  the  present,  will  also  be  used  for  a  Chapel ;  a  Laboratory  ;  rooms  for 
Library,  Cabinet,  Apparatus,  Literary  Societies,  and  Recitations;  and  in  the 
third- story,  twelve  rooms  for  Students. 

With  these  enlarged  facilities  for  Educational  purposes  at  their  command, 
the  Trustees  of  the  College  are  confident  in  the  expectation  that  they  can  fully 
meet  the  wants  of  our  rapidly  increasing  population,  and  furnish,  on  our  own 
soil,  at  a  reasonable  expense,  the  means  of  a  thorough  and  complete  Education. 

The  Library  of  the  College  contains  upwards  of  1800  volumes,  and  is  open 
to  all  the  Departments. 

The  Chrestomathian  Society  has  also  a  Library  of  its  own,  of  some  500 
volumes  ;  for  most  of  which  they  are  indebted  to  recent  donations  from  their 
friends. 

The  Apparatus  is  suflScient  to  illustrate  the  principles  of  Natural  Philoso- 
phy, Chemistry  and  Astronomy. 

Collections  have  been  made  in  Mineralogy,  Zoology,  and  Botany. 

Commencement  is  held  on  Wednesday,  the  last  day  of  the  third  term.  (In 
1858,  on  Wednesday,  July  14.)  There  are  three  College  terms  in  the  year,  two 
of  thirteen,  and  one  of  fourteen  weeks. 

The  government  of  the  College  is  intended  to  secure  the  best  moral  influence. 
Besides  the  daily  religious  exercises  for  all,  the  students  from  abroad  are  ex- 
pected to  attend  some  place  of  religious  worship  on  the  Sabbath,  designated 
by  their  parents  or  guardians. 

The  Institution  is  not  under  the  control  of  any  religious  denomination,  but 
of  its  own  board  of  trustees.     They  are  as  follows: 

Rev.  Asa  Turner,  Denmark  ;  Rev.  John  C.  Holbrook,  Dubuque ;  Rev.  Julius 

A.  Reed,  Davenport  ;  Rev.  Harvey  Adams,  Farmington  ;  Rev.  Alden  B.  Rob- 
bins,  Muscatine  ;  Rev.  Ephraim  Adams,  Dacorah  ;  Rev.  William  Salter,  Burling- 
ton ;  Rev.  0.  Emerson,  Dewitt ;  H.  Q.  Jennison,  Esq.,  Muscatine;  James 
McManus,  Esq.,  Davenport;  Charles  Atkinson,  Esq.,  Moline;  Rev.  J.  B.  Grin- 
nell,  Grinnell;  Rev.  J.  Guernsey,  Dubuque;  F.  H.  Stone,  Esq.,  Muscatine; 
Joseph  Lambrite,  Esq.,  Davenport ;  Jacob  Butler,  Esq.,  Muscatine;  Gen.  Geo. 

B.  Sargent,  Davenport ;  Rev.  Geo.  F.  Magoun,  Davenport. 

The  officers  of  the  Board  are — Rev.  A.  B.  Robbins,  President;  Rev.  Geo.  F. 
Magoun,  Clerk ;  Joseph  Lambrite,  Esq.,  Treasurer ;  Rev.  Julius  A.  Reed 
Financial  Agent ;  Prof.  H.  L.  Bullen,  Librarian. 

Faculty. — Rev.  Erastus  Ripley,  Carter  Professor  of  Ancient  Languages ; 


302  DAVENPORT 


Rev.  H.  L.  Bullen,  Professor  Mathematics  and  Natural  Philosophy;  D.S.  Shel- 
don, M.  A.,  Professor  of  Chemistry  and  Natural  Science;  Rev.  D.  Lane,  M.  A., 
Professor  of  Mental  and  Moral  Philosophy. 

The  partial  endowment  of  the  College  has  been  obtained  from  charitable 
persons  in  this  and  other  States.  Peley  W.  Carter,  Esq.,  of  Waterbury,  Con- 
necticut, gave,  in  IS.jl),  $5,000  towards  the  Classical  Professorship.  One  other 
professorship  is  partially  endowed.  A  benevolent  gentleman  in  the  State  con- 
templates the  endowment  of  Chairs  of  Practical  Science.  Within  the  last  year, 
Hon.  Geo.  B.  Sargent  has  established  a  medal  fund,  from  which  one  gold 
and  two  silver  medals  are  awarded — for  scholarship — in  the  manner  designated 
by  the  donor — each  commencement. 

The  prospects  of  the  Institution  have  been  much  impaired  of  late  by  the 
proposed  extension  of  one  of  the  streets  of  the  city  through  the  centre  of  its 
beautiful  grounds.  If  carried  out,  this  plan  will  oblige  a  second  removal  to 
some  site  not  liable  to  encroachment. 


PAST  AND  PKESENT.  303 


CHAPTER     XXXI 


MILITARY, 


The  first  permanent  organization  in  Davenport  Tvas  that  of  the  Davenport 
Rifle  Corps — a  German  Company.  They  now  number  forty  men,  Capt.  Haupt ; 
First  Lieutant,  Scherer  ;  Orderly  Sergeant,  Winegardner. 

The  next  Company  organized  was  an  American  Company — the  Davenport 
City  Artillery.  It  was  organized  June,  1857,  under  the  auspices  of  Capt. 
Schuyler — whose  indefatigable  exertions  have  more  than  anything  else  brought 
the  Company  to  its  present  character. 

Offickrs.^C.  N.  Schuyler,  Captain  ;  W.  W.  Gallaer,  1st  Lieutenant ;  2nd  do., 
Chas.  C.  Harris;  3d  do.,  John  Johns.     Forty  men  and  two  six  pounders. 

Davenport  City  Guards  (German.)  The  officers  of  this  Company  are  mostly 
old  soldiers  from  Schleswig-Holstein.  Organized  Feb.,  1858.  Captain,  F. 
Unrow  ;  1st  Lieutenant,  Steward;  2nd  Lieutenant,  John  Hempel;  Orderly 
Sergeant,  D.  Hempel.     Forty  men. 

Davenport  Sarsfield  Guards,  (Irish.)     Not  organized  fully. 


FIRE     DEPARTMEITT. 

The  Fire  Department  of  Davenport  never  assumed  prominence  for  efficient 
service  until  the  ipatter  was  taken  in  hand  by  R.  M.  Littler,  formerly  of  Cin- 
cinnati. Through  his  efforts  a  Company  was  organized  July  26,  1856,  and  two 
of  Honeyman's  best  Engines  purchased,  which  arrived  May,  1857.  The  Com- 
pany organized  was  the  "  Independent  Fire  Engine  and  Hose  Company,  No.  1." 
R.  M.  Littler  was  elected  President.  In  February,  1858,  the  Fire  Department 
was  reorganized,  and  in  March  R.  M.  Littler  was  elected  Chief  Engineer  over 


304  DAVENPORT 


0.  S.  McNiel  by  a  majority  of  twenty.  The  entire  vote  waa  two  hundred  and 
fifty-four.  Christian  Mueller  was  unanimously  elected  First  Assistant,  and 
E.  A.  Tellibine,  Second,  over  D.  Moore. 

The  organization  now  consists  of — 

"  Independent  Fire  Engine  and  Hose  Company,  No.  1." — Two  Engines,  two 
Hose' Carts-  Fifteen  hundred  feet  of  Hose.  Cost  $6500.  Chris.  Buckholter 
and  Isaac  Cummings,  Foremen  of  Engines,  and  John  Gundaker  Foremen  of 
Hose.  One  hundred  and  twenty-five  sets  of  equipments,  and  one  hundred  and 
twenty  members.     Engine  House  on  Brady  street,  near  Fifth.     Cost  $6,000. 

"  Fire  King  Company,  No.  2." — Organized  1857.  Snyth's  Engine,  and  eight 
hundred  feet  of  hose.  Marsh  Noe,  Foreman.  House  in  Davenport's  Block. 
One  hundred  and  nineteen  men. 

"  Pioneer  Hook  and  Ladder  Company,  No.  1." — Organized  December,  1857. 
Ninety  men.  Chas.  Eyser  and  H.  La  Franz,  Foremen.  House  on  Third  street, 
near  Washington  Square. 

"Engine  Company  No.  3." — House  with  Pioneer  No.  1,  Hook  and  Ladder — 
sixty-four  men.     Officers  to  be  elected  2d  Monday  in  April. 


^t^^       OAVENPOBT       *-°CAf 


IOWA 


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ERECTED  ByHILL,ALLEN&C0.BANKERS|&57 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  305 


CHAPTER    XXXII, 


MUSICAL 


Davenport,  among  its  other  excellencies,  possesses  its  quota  of  musical 
talent — albeit  its  development  is  not  particularly  marked,  as  a  general  thing, 
among  our  Church  choirs.  In  fact,  save  a  few  sopranos  like  Mrs.  Davie,  Misses 
Sylvester  and  Scarborough,  and  in  basso  and  tenore  the  brothers  Davis,  and 
Mr.  Davie,  and  a  few  others  of  all  classes,  the  bulk  of  musical  ability,  both 
vocal  and  instrumental,  rests  with  our  German  population.  Strausser,  as  a 
violinist,  and  Braeunlich  and  Schlegel,  as  pianists,  take  a  front  rank  among 
amateur  musicians.  In  the  department  of  vocal  music  we  have  the  Philhar- 
monic Society,  formed  5th  of  August,  1856,  and  its  first  meeting,  for  the 
practice  of  vocal  music,  held  I2th  of  August,  1856. 

Its  object  is  the  improvement  of  the  members  (male  and  female)  in  the  cul- 
ture of  vocal  music. 

During  the  first  winter  of  its  existence  it  gave  six  performances.  During  the 
present  winter  ('57  and  '58,)  it  will  probably  give  four  or  five;  one  of  which 
will  be  Handel's  Oratorio  of  the  "Messiah,"  with  orchestral  accompaniments, 
the  vocal  parts  given  by  about  fifty  voices ;  the  instrumental  parts  by  a  band 
of  seventeen  performers. 

The  Society's  regular  meetings  are  held  every  Tuesday  evening,  during  the 
winter,  at  the  old  St.  Luke's  Church,  Brady  street,  at  7  o'clock.  When  neces- 
sary, rehearsals  are  also  held  on  Friday  evenings. 

The  number  of  performing  members  is  about  forty,  and  is  increasing.  There 
is  also  a  body  of  subscribing  or  non-performing  members. 

TheofiBcers  el-cted  2d  March,  1858,  are- 
President,  General  Geo.  B.  Sargent ;  Vice  President,  S.  W.  Barber ;  Treasurer, 
J.  C.  Wallace;  Secretary,  J.  J.  Ingalls;  Finance  Committee,  S.  W.  Barber; 
Wm.  Morehouse,  S.  M.  Harley  ;  Musical  Director,  Chas.  H.  Davie. 

30 


h 


306  DAVENPORT 


GERMAN  MAENNER  CHOR. 

This  Society  was  organized  June,  1851,  under  the  folloiving  officers:     A. 

F.  Mast,  President;   G.  Schlegel,  Secretury  ;   Aug.  Smallfield,  Cashier,  and  G. 
Wiehle,  Musical  Director. 

In  June,  185-1,  a  flag  was  presented  to  the  Society  by  the  Ladies  ofEa-ven 
port,  as  a  compliment  to  their  efforts  and  success.  At  the  "Western  Singing 
Festival,"  held  at  Chicago  in  June,  1857,  the  Maenner  Chor  took  the  second 
prize,  and  we  believe  intend  Da  Capo  in  future  cases.  It  now  has  music  and 
instruments  worth  one  thousand  dollars,  and  has  at  present  twenty-two  active 
and  thirty-four  honorary  members.     The  following  are  its  officers:' 

A.  Miedke,  President;  A.  Bruns,  Vice  President;  T.  Holm,  Recording  Sec- 
retary ;    R.  Krouse,  Corresponding  Secretary;   A.  G.  Smallfield,  Cashier;  G. 

G.  Schlegel,  Musical  Director. 

GESANG-CHOR  DER  TURNGEMEINDE. 

Twenty  members.  Riepe,  Director.  This  is  a  branch  of  the  "Turner 
Society."     Practice  twice  a  week. 

DAVENPORT  MUSICAL  INSTITUTE. 

Founded  March  9th,  1858.     Asa  Hull,  President  ;  Chas.  Burr,  Secretary. 

This  Society  numbers  some  twenty-five  members,  and  is  a  sort  of  succession 
of  a  Society  formerly  under  the  charge  ot  Mr.  Hull.  It  possesses  the  elements 
of  a  good  Musical  Institution,  which  time  will  develope  into  no, second-rate 
character. 

DEUTSCHER  SAENGER-BUND. 

Glee  Club — twenty-five  members.  Practice  two  nights  in  each  week. 
Jacob  Strasser,  Director. 

GRUETLI  VEREIN. 

Swiss  Glee  Club  meets  once  each  week.  Twenty  members.  Albert  Snhnyder, 
Leader. 

INSTRUMEMTAL. 

"  Majo's  String  Band." — First  and  Second  Violins,  Bass  Viol,  Cornet  a 
Piston  and  Picolo. 

"  German  Rifle  Band." — Storm,  Leader.  Three  Altos,  Tenor  Horn,  Baritone, 
Tuber,  and  two  Drums. 

'*  White's  Cotillion  Band." — First  and  Second  Violins,  Clarionet,  Flute,  Cor- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  307 


net,  First  and  Second  Trumpet,  First  and  Second  French  Horns,  First  Bar- 
itone  and  Contra  Bass. 

"  White's  Brass  Band" — First  and  Second  Eb,  First  and  Second  Bb,  two 
Tenors,  two  Baritones,  First  and  Second  Bass,  two  Altos,  and  two  Drums. 

"Independent  Brass  Band." — Ten  Sax  Horns,  and  two  Drums. 


ARTISTIC. 

Hanging  high  upon  the  wall  of  a  city  parlor,  is  a  living  memory  of  the  vil- 
lage of  Davenport,  just  as  it  is  limned  and  lined  and  colored  in  the  recollec- 
tions of  "  old  settlers."  It  is  a  paint  and  canvass  memory,  and  though  the 
hand  that  thus  in  form  and  color  faithfully  reflected  what  the  eye  saw,  has 
long  since  mouldered  in  the  dust,  yet  its  writing  on  the  wall  is  as  a  memory 
to  all  who  peruse  it,  of  the  surpassing  village  grace  and  loveliness  which  in 
olden  times  distinguished  Davenport.  It  is  well  that  he  whose  skill  has  left 
us  this  undying  memory  of  our  village  life,  should  have  a  page  in  this  book  as 
a  memoir  of  himself.  When  the  tongues  which  may  tell  us  of  the  olden  times 
are  silenced  forever,  and  the  men  who  lived  in  those  days  have  passed  away, 
it  may  be  that  from  some  wall,  browned  with  age,  shall  creep  the  mouldy  forms 
and  colorings  of  a  far-back  memory,  brushing  away  the  dust  and  cobwebs  of 
intervening  space,  and  revealing  grass-robed  plains  and  tree-covered  bluflfs, 
clustering  white  houses  on  the  river's  graveled  beach,  gray  cliffs  rising  ^from 
the  dark-flowing  waters  and  up-bearing  the  old  fort  ruins,  and  the  thousand 
physical  details  of  what  was  once  literal  life  and  reality.  And  it  may  be,  that 
a  yellow  and  faded  leaf  from  this  book,  shall  then  summon  a  phantom  memory 
of  one  whose  eye  saw  all  this,  even  as  we  now  trust  it  gazes  upon  scenes  of 
celestial  beauty,  and  the  cunning  of  whose  hand  in  faithful  shades  and  shadows 
mirrored  the  vision  upon  canvass. 

When  we  recollect  how  distinguished  was  Davenport  in  its  village  days  for 
remarkable  loveliness,  and  the  number  of  strangers  who  summer  after  sum- 
mer came  here  to  revel  among  its  surrounding  beauties,  it  seems  strange  that 
but  this  single  painting,  and  a  few  lithograph  copies  of  it,  are  all  we  have  as  a 
record  of  the  physical  appearance  of  this  place  before  its  hundreds  of  people 
became  thousands,  and  the  village  had  swelled  into  a  city.  We  may  well 
imagine  that  the  skill  of  amateur  artists  was  often  tasked  to  delineate  upon 
paper  or  canvass  the  glowing  scenery  and  beautiful  towns  which  at  this  point 
found  intimate  connection  with  historical  associations.  But  whatever  their 
trials  and  their  success,  only  a  single  painting  and  its  copies  now  exist,  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  writer,  by  which  the  stranger  in  the  new  city  may  form  a 
correct  idea  of  the  long  time  past  appearance  of  Davenport,  and  assuming  which 
as  data  he  may  judge  of  our  subsequent  progress.     Probably  it  is  from  this 


fact,  that  we  3et  a  higher  value  upon  the  artist  to  whom  we  feel  a  debt  of  grati- 
tude for  this  painting. 

Among  the  strangers  from  St.  Louis  who  visited  Davenport  in  the  Spring  of 
1845,  was  John  Casper  Wild,  a  gentleman  of  considerable  reputation  as  a 
landscape  and  portrait  painter,  and  lithograph ist.  He  was  a  tall  spare  man  of 
about  forty  years,  with  long  raven  black  hair,  whiskers  and  moustache,  and 
restless  brown  eyes.  He  had,  at  times,  a  worn  and  haggard  look,  the  result, 
doubtless,  of  ill  health,  and  a  life-long  battle  with  the  world  for  the  bare 
means  of  subsistence.  He  was  uncommunicative  as  to  his  own  life,  but  it  is 
an  impression  of  the  writer's  that  he  was  born  in  poverty,  reared  among  the 
trials  of  indigence,  from  which,  unaided,  he  sought  to  emerge,  and  in  his  ma- 
turity, a  good  artist,  but  poor  financier,  so  that  his  history  was  a  continued 
struggle.  It  is  but  little  wonder  then,  that  through  the  clouds  which  so  con- 
stantly surrounded  him,  he  could  see  but  little  sunshine.  On  his  arrival  here, 
he  was  totally  dependent  upon  his  talent.  He  soon  commenced  work,  and 
produced  this  painting  of  Davenport  and  Rock  Island,  as  one  picture.  From 
this  a  limited  number  of  beautifully  colored  lithograph  copies  were  taken,  for 
those  who  would  buy.  Alas !  poor  Wild — the  pictures  which  now  would 
bring  their  weight  in  gold,  had  then  a  dull  and  weary  sale.  This  view  was  not 
only  faithful  in  its  details,  and  beautiful  as  a  picture,  but  it  proved  Mr.  Wild 
an  artist  of  high  talent. 

It  is  worthy  of  mention,  that  the  artist  lithographed  his  own  picture  in  stone, 
and  made  and  colored  the  impressions  himself.  It  has  been  remarked,  that 
so  fine  a  specimen  of  lithographing  cannot  now  be  done  in  the  metropolis  of 
the  country. 

Mr.  Wild  afterwards  commenced  a  second  painting  of  Davenport,  viewed 
from  another  point,  but  it  was  never  finished.  The  same  summer  he  made 
paintings,  from  which  lithograph  copies  were  taken,  of  Dubuque,  Galena,  Mus- 
catine and  Moline.  All  these  sketches  were  distinguished  for  their  correctness 
and  beauty.  He  worked  rapidly  but  well,  and  a  practical  knowledge  of  lith- 
ography was  useful  in  securing  correct  copies  of  his  works.  The  writer  of 
this  accompanied  Mr.  Wild  on  a  trip  to  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  in  1846,  in 
which  excursion  he  made  a  number  of  small  sketches,  but  they  never  were 
reproduced  on  canvass.  The  painting  of  Davenport  and  Rock  Island  truly 
represents  the  young  cities  as  they  slept  in  1845,  upon  the  green  banks  of  the 
great  river,  before  the  rushing  winds  and  waves  of  progress  had  broken  their 
slumbers.  There  are  but  few  copies  of  this  painting  now  in  the  possession  of 
our  citizens,  and  it  is  needless  to  say  that  the  lapse  of  time,  and  the  intervening 
wonderful  changes  in  the  aspect  of  our  city,  render  these  pictures  invaluable 
to  their  owners. 

In  '8'  ,  Mr.  Wild,  who  continued  residing  in  Davenport,  painted  a  fancy 
sketch,  of  which  it  may  be  right  to  make  a  particular  note,  as  it  was  the 
nearest  approach  to  an  artistical  smile  of  which  Mr.  Wild  was  ever  known  to  be 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  309 


guilty.  He  had  neither  humor  of  his  own,  nor  an  appreciation  of  humor  in 
others.  He  looked  tragedy,  thought  tragedy,  and  his  conversation  outside  of 
business  and  art,  was  never  much  more  cheerful  than  tragedy.  This  little  oil 
sketch  represented  three  notable  characters  of  the  village,  each  of  whom,  at 
that  time,  wis  personally  known  to  almost  every  man,  woman  and  child  in  the 
place.  They  were  collected  at  the  well-remembered  ferry-house,  and  near 
the  equally  well-remembered  old  bell-post.  The  bell  there  suspended  was 
then  furiously  jingled,  and  often  with  disagreeable  pertinacity,  by  those  who 
wished  to  call  the  old  ferryman,  Mr.  John  Wilson,  from  the  opposite  side. 
The  ringer  was  generally  considered  under  personal  obligation  to  stand  to  his 
post  some  time,  in  company  with  his  horse  and  vehicle,  if  he  had  any  to  cross 
over,  so  that  the  ferryman  might  with  proper  deliberation  determine  whether 
the  skiflF  or  hors3-ferry-boat  were  required  by  the  nature  of  the  cargo.  The 
large  person  of  Mr.  LeClaire  sits  in  a  buggy,  to  which  is  attached  the  notable 
eld  white  horse  that  used  to  drag  his  master  about  the  place.  Close  by  stands 
Mr.  Gilbert  McKown,  whose  store  was  on  Front  street,  a  few  steps  distance, 
but  whose  burly  figure  and  good  humored  face,  seen  on  any  street,  seemed  a 
part  and  parcel  of  the  town,  and  directly  identified  with  its  corporate  existence. 
The  third  figure  is  Sam  Fisher,  as  he  was  familiarly  called  by  every  acquaint- 
ance. He  then  lived  in  the  house  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Mr.  Geo.  L. 
Davenport,  at  the  corner  of  Brady  and  Third  streets.  Sam  Fisher  was  the 
best  fisher  in  the  town,  a  good  story-teller,  and  had  a  most  marvellous  mem- 
ory of  past  times  and  incidents,  of  facts  and  dates,  which  united  to  some 
peculiar  eccentricities  of  character,  exclusively  and  honestly  his  own.  made 
him  a  conspicuous  character.  One  of  his  smaller  eccentricities  is  shown  in  the 
picture.  He  is  standing  with  his  pants  drawn  up  to  the  top  of  one  boot,  and 
down  to  the  sole  of  the  other — using  a  favorite  gesture,  and  evidently  doing 
the  talking,  of  course.  These  three  persons  are  now  alive,  and  two  of  them 
continue  residents  of  Davenport.  The  picture  is  in  the  possession  of  Hon.  G. 
C.  R.  Mitchell,  who,  by  the  way,  ought  to  have  figured  in  the  painting. 

Mr.  Wild  was  a  native  of  Zurich,  Switzerland.  He  went  to  Paris  when 
young,  where  he  resided  fifteen  years,  and  then  emigrated  to  the  United  States. 
He  lived  several  years  in  Philadelphia,  where  he  finished  some  views  for  Atkin- 
son's Casket,  a  Panorama  of  Philadelphia,  and  a  view  of  Napoleon's  Marshals 
on  horse-back.  In  the  Spring  of  1841,  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  and  remained 
there  till  he  removed  here.  At  St.  Louis,  he  commenced  a  periodical  called 
"  The  Valley  of  the  Mississippi  Illustrated" — edited  by  Louis  Faulk  Thomas 
the  views  by  Mr.  Wild.  Only  ten  numbers  were  issued.  Mr.  Wild  died  in 
Davenport,  in  the  year  1846.  When  sick,  he  was  kindly  taken  to  the  residence 
of  Mrs.  Webb,  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Henry,  where  he  received  the  attentions 
of  a  son  during  the  long  illness  which  preceded  his  death.  While  thus  lying 
on  his  death-bed,  the  home  of  his  boyhood  seemed  a  beautiful  picture  before 
his  eyes,  and  he  expressed  a  longing  desire  to  die  at  Zurich.     This  was  not 


310  DAVENPORT 


granted  him,  but  kind  hands  softened  the  last  shadowy  penclUngs  of  his  life, 
and  laid  him  gently  among  the  Summer  flowers. 

Mr.  R.  Wright  has  been  spoken  of  heretofore.  In  addition  to  him  we  have 
Mrs.  Codding,  whose  principal  work  is  a  painting  of  Davenport,  which,  for 
fidelity,  is  scarcely  excelled. 

Mr.  Wolfe,  a  former  resident  of  Davenport,  displayed  much  genius  in  several 
performances  in  Landscape  and  Portrait  Painting. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  311 


CHAPTER     XXXIII 


THE    PRESS 


It  is  a  telling  indication  of  the  enterprise  and  good  sense  of  the  pioneers  of 
the  County,  that  one  of  their  earliest  movements  was  to  secure  the  benefits  of 
that  omniprtsent  Americanism — a  Newspaper.  They  were  fortunate  in  secur- 
ing the  very  man  they  did  to  undertake  the  enterprise — one  who  possessed 
the  peculiarity  of  having  a  deal  of  practical  good  sense,  and  one  who  was 
neither  scholar  enough  to  play  the  role  of  a  pedantic  essayist,  or  philosophical 
enough  to  treat  his  readers  to  a  hebdominal  dish  of  metaphysics,  as  is  not  un- 
frequently  the  case  of  those  handling  the  Quill  Editorial  at  the  present  day. 
Such  was  Andrew  Logan,  who  in  August,  1838,  issued  the  first  number  of  the 
^^lowa  Sun,  and  Davenport  and  Rock  Island  Hews," — a  title  as  lengthy  as  signi- 
ficant. Right  well  did  the  Sun  battle  for  the  interests  of  the  City,  County,  and 
State;  and  we  do  its  editor  no  more  than  justice,  when  it  is  asserted  that  his 
share  towards  building  up  Davenport,  and  inducing  hither  many  a  rich  freight 
of  immigration,  was  none  of  the  least  felt  or  important.  The  Sun  was  a 
weekly,  democratic,  underwent  one  enlargement,  and  was  continued  until 
1841,  when  it  was  succeeded  by  the 

DAVENPORT  WEEKLY  GAZETTE. 

The  Gazette  was  started  as  a  Weekly,  imperial  size  (22  by  32,)  six  columns, 
by  Alfred  Sanders.  In  1848  it  was  enlarged  to  a  seven  column  paper. 
August  1st,  1853,  the  Tri-Weekly  Gazette  was  commenced,  and  was  succeeded 
by  the  Daily  Gazette  in  October,  1854.  The  Weekly  and  Daily  are  still  pub- 
lished, and  are  of  the  largest  size.  It  was  edited  by  Alfred  Sanders  up  to 
1857,  and  published  by  him  until  1843,  when  he  associated  with  him  Mr.  Davis. 
The  latter  gentleman  continued  until  January  1st,  1857,  a  member  of  the  firm, 
and  was  then  succeeded  by  Add.  H.  Sanders,  brother  of  the  principal  proprie- 


312  DAVENPORT 


tor,  and  former  editor  of  the  Evansville  (Ind.)  Journal.  The  firm  now — editorial 
and  publishing — is  Sanders  &  Bro. 

The  Gazette  has  now  been  an  institution  of  the  country  for  some  seventeen 
years, — a  length  of  existence  that  suflBciently  guarantees  its  permanency. 
The  Senior,  Alfred  Sanders,  is  of  scholarly  attainments,  particularly  in  Natural 
History,  and  has  thus  far  been  thoroughly  identified,  both  with  the  West  and 
Journalism.  He  has  never  missed  issuing  a  number  of  the  Gazette  since  its 
beginning,  and  has  often  achieved  this,  under  circumstances  which  would  have 
daunted  men  of  less  energy,  or  of  less  pride  in  their  profession.  As  a  writer 
he  is  less  brilliant  than  solid,  rather  shy  of  ornament,  and  prefers  generally 
to  present  facts  in  puris  naturalibus.  He  writes  earnestly,  and  will  in  many 
cases  carry  conviction  simply  from  the  deep  air  of  conviction — of  faith — 
which  his  articles  present.  Did  space  permit,  we  might  allude  more  at  length 
both  to  his  character  as  a  writer,  and  his  efforts,  enterprise,  preseverance, 
and  sagacity,  in  developing  the  interests  both  of  his  party  and  Davenport. 
We  need  not  dwell  upon  these  points,  however  well  deserving  they  are  of 
eulogy,  as  he  is  well  enough  known  to  render  either  panegyric  or  particular 
notice  superfluous. 

His  brother,  Add.  H.  Sanders,  has  acquired  no  unenviable  reputation  as  a 
ready,  sparkling,  and  piquant  writer.  He  is  largely  imaginative  has  a  keen 
appreciation  of  the  humourous,  notices  instinctively  the  ludicrous  both  in  men 
and  things,  and  possesses  the  rare  faculty  of  easy  and  graceful  expression. 
Many  of  the  best  waifs  of  anecdotal  literature,  which  periodically  appear  and 
disappear  upon  the  waves  of  Journalism,  owe  to  him  their  existence.  We 
cannot  but  regret  that  he  has  not  entirely  turned  his  attention  to  descrip- 
tion and  other  departments  having  origin  in  the  possession  of  a  ready  pen, 
active  fancy,  and  much  imagination. 

We  are  happy  to  be  able  to  add  that  the  long  and  arduous  labors  of  the 
proprietors  of  the  Gazette  have  not  been  unrewarded.  Their  present  estab- 
lishment consists  of  two  editors,  three  carriers,  and  some  eighteen  compositors, 
pressmen,  &c.  They  use  a  Steam  Engine  of  six  horse  power,  Taylors'  Steam 
Press,  Hoe's  Card,  Ruggles'  Card,  American  Steam,  two  Hand  Diamond  Job, 
and  Wells'  Power  Job  Presses. 

THE   WEEKLY   BANNER. 

This  sheet  was  started  by  Alexander  Montgomery  in  1848,  as  a  Democratic 
sheet.  In  the  winter  of  1848  and  1849  it  fell  under  the  charge  and  ownership 
of  R.  Smithem,  and  in  the  Spring  of  184^  it  was  transferred  to  T.  D.  Eagal, 
who  held  it  until  1851.  J.  W.  Wheeler  then  took  charge  of  it,  but  soon  after 
sold  out  to  Austin  Corbin,  who  in  1852  was  bought  out  by  R.  S.  Millar.  He 
sold  to  T.  D.  Eagal  in  1853,  who  continued  its  publication  until  1855,  when 
it  was  bought  by  Messrs.  Hildreth,  Richardson  &  West,  and  was  changed  to 
the  Iowa  State  Democrat,  under  which  name  it  is  still  published.     Of  the  in- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT. 


fluence  and  character  of  tlie  Banner  we  cannot  speak  from  observation, — it, 
however,  done  much  andoubtedly  towards  preserving  an  efficient  organization 
of  the  party  whose  intereit  is  advocated. 

THE   TEMPERANCE   ORGAN. 

This  sheet  was  established  November  1855,  by  H.  Price  and  others.  It  was 
published  by  A.  P.  Luse  &  Co. 

Tbe  Organ  did  good  services  for  its  party  for  about  one  year,  and  was  then 
discontinued. 

THE   WEEKLY   UNION. 

This  sheet  was  published  for  a  few  months  in  the  Fall  of  185S,  with  a  view 
to  aid  the  election  of  Millard  Fillmore  to  the  Presidency.  It  was  edited  by 
the  well  known  Col.  Wm.  Brown. 


IOWA  STATE  DEMOCRAT. 

Notice  has  been  taken  before  of  the  origin  of  this  paper  in  1855.  The 
Daily  was  commenced  in  October  1856,  enlarged  from  seven  to  eight  columns 
in  April,  18-37,  to  nine  in  October  1857.  The  Democrat  was  started  with  a 
Hand  Press,  and  a  debt  of  some  .$1500.  It  now  is  printed  by  Steam,  and  has 
amply  remunerated  its  enterprising  proprietors.  The  establishment  has  one 
Washington  Hand  Press,  a  Steam  Cylinder  Press,  Hoe's  Medium  Large  Cylinder 
Press,  Ruggles'  Rotary  Circular  and  Card  Press,  and  some  twelve  hands,  be- 
sides an  ample  stock  of  other  material.     A  Weekly  is  also  published. 

The  Democrat  is  now  conducted  by  Messrs.  Richardson  &  West,  than 
whom  the  editorial  and  publishing  fraternities,  posses  no  more  enterprising, 
gentlemanly,  or  reliable  members.  They  have  achieved  a  success  on  their 
paper,  which  at  once  indicates  their  energy  and  the  character  of  the  West. 

Mr.  Hildreth  died  in  September  of  1857.  The  following  obituary  is  taken 
from  the  State  Democrat : 

"  Mr.  Hildreth  was  born  in  .Johnstown,  Fulton  county,  N.  Y.,  September 
J  2th,  A.  D.  1809,  which  would  make  him  just  48  years  old  to-day.  Mr.  Hild- 
reth was  a  son  of  Matthias  B.  Hildreth,  Esq.,  formerly  Attorney  General  of 
the  State  of  New  York.  His  life  has  been  an  eventtul  one,  filled  with  the 
lights  and  shades  of  prosperity  and  adversity.  He  was  left  an  orphan  at  the 
age  of  fifieen,  and  inherited  a  large  fortune.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Union 
College  of  that  State,  after  which  he  engaged  in  the  wTiolesale  dry  goods  and 
jobbing  trade  in  Albany,  N.  Y.  After  a  few  years  he  became  embarrassed  in 
business  and  failed,  and  lost  his  entire  fortune  in  the  failure.  He  then  re- 
moved to  Johnstown,  N.  Y.,  and  was  there  elected  a  magistrate  and  Master  in 
Chancery. 

40 


314  DAVENPORT 


Previous  to  bis  engaging  in  business  in  Albany,  he  received  the  appointment 
bj  commission,  of  Major  in  the  Staff  of  Gov.  Troup. 

He  was  married  in  Johnstown,  in  1839,  to  Mrs.  A.  E.  J.  West,  who  survives 
to  mourn  his  loss. 

From  Johnstown  be  removed  to  Kenosha,  Wisconsin,  in  1848,  where  he  was 
universally  beloved  and  esteemed,  and  was  there  elected  to  many  offices  of 
honor  and  trust,  which  he  filled  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  parties.  He  ' 
moved  to  Peoria,  State  of  Hlinois,  in  185C,  and  became  associated  in  the  pub- 
lication of  a  journal  called  the  Daily  Morning  Hews.  From  Peoria  he  moved 
to  Davenport  in  October,  1855,  and  in  company  with  Messrs.  Richardson  and 
West,  purchased  the  old  Banner  newspaper  of  T.  D.  Eagal,  Esq.,  and  with 
them  commenced  the  publication  of  the  Daily  Iowa  State  Democrat,  of  which 
he  was  the  Senior  Editor  until  his  lamented  decease. 

Mr.  Hildreth  was  a  man  of  most  generous  impulses,  and  had  a  faculty  of 
making  and  retaining  friends.  He  was  a  fast  and  reliable  friend,  a  kind  hus- 
band, and  an  Old  School  Jeffersonian  Democrat.  He  v/as  uncompromising  in 
his  political  views,  but  he  never  allowed  politics  to  intrude  into  his  social  or 
business  relations.  All  who  knew  him,  esteemed  him  for  his  generous  heart. 
In  his  death  his  family  has  lost  a  valuable  friend,  the  public  a  generous  hearted 
citizen,  and  the  Democratic  party  one  of  its  strong  pillars." 

EVENING  NEWS. 

This  sheet,  Daily  and  Weekly,  was  started  by  Harrington  &  Wilkie,  September 
1856.  It  continued  in  their  possession  over  a  year,  and  was  then  purchased 
by  John  Johns,  Jr.,  &  Co.  The  News  is  Administration  Democratic,  and 
takes  a  leading  position  in  Journalism.  It  is  edited  by  John  Johns,  Jr.,  Ed- 
ward L.  Kerr,  and  Chas.  C.  Harris.  All  are  good  writers, — the  first  two  in 
political  discussions  and  essays,  and  the  last  as  a  perpetrator  of  "  good  things," 
ludicrous,  witty,  and  otherwise. 

The  News  has  a  good  Job  Office,  containing  a  Guernsey's  Power  Press,  Hand 
Presses,  and  ample  other  material  appertaining  to  such  a  department. 

DER   DEMOKRAT,    (German.) 

Republican— Daily,  Tri-Weekly,  and  Weekly.  Started  1851,  by  T.  Guelich, 
and  now  published  by  H.  Lischer  &  Co.     Edited  by  Theo.  Olshausen. 

REAL   ESTATE   REGISTER. 

Monthly,  by  Allen  &  Clark.  This  sheet  takes  a  first  class  position  among 
papers  of  its  kind.  Its  Financial  articles  during  the  past  winter  have  been 
of  the  ablest  character,  and  have  done  much  towards  sustaining  the  credit 
and  advancing  the  interests  of  Davenport  abroad.     Started  Mai,  1857. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  315 


CHAPTER    XXXIV. 


BENEVOLEJiTT    ORDERS. 


MASONIC. 


Tuscan  Lodge,  No.  57,  of  F.  &  A.  Masons,  was  organized  under  a  charter 
issued  by  the  M.  W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Iowa,  June  6th,  1855. 

D.  H.  Wl^eeler  was  W.  Master  for  1855  and  '6— H.  W.  Mitchell  was  W. 
Master  for  1856  and  '1. 

The  Present  officers  of  the  Lodge  are — 

0.  S.  McNeil,  W.  M.;  Edwin  S-nith.  S.  W. ;  Sam'L  Perry,  J.  W.  ;  M,  H. 
Hall,  Sec'y. ;  R.  D.  Myers,  Treas, ;  H.  D.  Neely,  S.  D.  ;  John  Monath,  J.  D. ;  G. 
W.  Jones,  Tyler. 

The  Lodge  meets  every  Friday  evening  in  their  Hall,  LeClaire  Block,  corner 
of  Second  and  Brady  streets.  Regular  meetings  the  Friday  on  or  before  the 
full  moon  in  each  month.     Members  eighty-seven. 

Davenport  Lodge  No.  37,  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  was  organized 
under  a  charter  issued  by  the  Most  Worshipful  Grand  Lodge  of  the  State  of 
Iowa,  June  8th,  A.  D.  1853.     A.  L.  5853. 

Austin  Corbin  was  Worshipful  Master  for  1853-4.  Wm.  L.  Cook  wag  Wor- 
shipful Master  for  1854-55.  Jno.  A.  Boyde  was  Worshipful  Master  for  1855-66. 
Wm.  B.  Barnes  was  Worshipful  Master  for  1856-57. 

The  present  officers  of  the  Lodge  are — 

C.  Stewart  Ells,  W.  Master;  Wm.  S.  Minier,  S.  W.  ;  Chas.  E.  Fuller,  J.  W. ; 
A.  Walker,  Sec'y. ;  P.  Merwin,  Treas. ;  J.  D.  Kelly,  S.  D. ;  Jno.  Qranlees,  J.  D. ; 
J.  Johnson,  Tyler.  Lodge  meets  every  Monday  evening  at  their  Hall,  Merwin's 
Building,  Perry  street.  Regular  communications  on  every  Monday  evening 
before  full  moon.     Number  of  members,  seventy-aix. 


816  DAVENPORT 


I.    O.    OF   O.   F. 

Davenport  Lodgb,  No.  '7,  instituted  April  23,  1847,  bj  D.  D.  G.  Sine,  Jolin 
G.  Potts.  Cbartei"  members,  Jas.  Tlioriugton,  Ste.  Scliofield,  Thos.  V.  Dlake- 
more,  S.  McCormick,  V.  M.  Firor. 

First  officer,'^ — N.  G.,  Jas.  Thornington  ;  V.  G.,  S.  McCormick  ;  B.  Sec,  T.  V. 
Blakemore ;  T.,  V.  M.  Firor. 

July  Ist — N.  G.,  Jas.  Thorington ;  V.  G.,  L.  J.  Centre  ;  R.  S.,  Jas.  McManus  : 
T.,  V.  M.  Firor. 

January  1st.  18-18 — N.  G.,  L.  J.  Center;  V.  G.,  Jas.  McManus  :  R.  S.,  John 
Pope ;  T.,  Lewis  Hamilton. 

July  1st,  1848— N.  G.,  Jas.  McManus;  V.  G.,  John  Pope:  R.  S.,  M.  D.  West- 
lake;  P.  S.,  Jas.  Tborington;  T.,  Lewis  Hamilton. 

January  1st,  1849— N.  G.,  John  Pope;  V.  G.,  Cbas.  Weston;  U.  S.,  H. 
Brewster  ;  P.  S.,  Jas.  Thorington  ;  T.,  Geo.  B.  Sargent. 

July  1st— N.  G.,  Chas.  Weston;  V.  G.,  H.  Brewster;  R.  S.,  Jno.  D.  Evans; 
P.  S.,  Jas.  Thorington  ;  T.,  Jao._  H.  Morton. 

January  1st,  1850— N.  G.,  A.  Sawyer;  V.  G.,  M.  D.  Westlake;  R.  S.,  C. 
Weston;  P.  S.,  Jas.  Thorington;  T.,  John  H.  Morton. 

July  1st— N.  G.,  M.  D.  Westlake;  V.  G.,  A.  S.  Nugent;  R.  S.,  H.  Price;  P. 
S.,  N.  M.  Rambo  ;  T.,  Jno.  H.  Morton. 

January  1st,  1851— N.  G.,  A.  S.  Nugent ;  V.  G  ,  H.  Price  ;  R.  S.,  A.  Sawyer  ; 
P.  S.,  N.  M.  Rambo  ;  T.  Jno.  H.  Morton. 

July  1st— N.  G.,  H,  Price  ;  V.  G.,N.  M.  Rambo  ;  R.  S.,  Willard  Barrows  ;  P. 
S.,  Job  M.  Woodward ;  T.,  Jno.  H.  Morton. 

January  1st,  1852— N,  G.,  N.  M.  Rambo;  V.  G.,  Willard  Barrows,  R.  S., 
Thos.  S.  Arrison  ;  P.  S.,  A.  Sawyer ;  T.,  Jno.  H.  Morton. 

July  1st— N.  G.,  Willard  JBarrows ;  V.  G.,  Thos.  S.  Arrison  ;  R.  S.,  B.  B. 
Woodward;  P.  S.,  J.  M.  Woodward;  T.,  Jno.  H.  Morton. 

January  1st,  1853— N.  G.,  Thos.  S.  Arrison  ;  V.  G.,  B.  B.  Woodward;  R.  S., 
N.  M.  Rambo ,  P.  S.,  J.  M.  Woodward  ;  T.,  Jno.  H.  Morton. 

July  1st— N.  G.,  B.  B.  Woodward;  V.  G.,  Hiram  Johnson  ;  R.  S.,  H.  J. 
Hughes  ;  P.  S.,  Jno.  Bechtel;  T.,  Jno.  H.  Morton. 

January  1st,  1854 — N.  G.,  Hiram  Johnson  :  V.  G.,  H.  J.  Hughes  ;  R.  S.,  J. 
C.  Fuller;  P.  S.,  Jas.  Thorington;  T.,  Jno.  H.  Morton. 

July  1st— N.  G.,  H.  J.  Hughes;  V.  G.,  J.  C.  Fuller;  R.  S.,  J.  H.  Dumont; 
P.  S.,  B.  B.,  Woodward;  T.,  Israel  Hall. 

January  1st,  1855— N.  G.,  J.  C.  Fuller;  V.  G.,  John  Hornby;  R.  S.,  Jas. 
Wickersham ;  P.  S.,  B.  B.  Woodward  ;  T.,  I.  Hall  ; 

July  1st— N.  G.,  Jno.  Hornby ;  V.  G.,  Thos.  Allum;  R.  S.,  J.  D.  Patton  ;  P. 
S.,  B.  B.  Woodward  ;  T.,  I.  Hall. 

January  1st,  1856~N.  G.,  Thos.  Allum;  T.  G.,  J.  H.  Dumont ;  R.  S.,  M.  D. 
Snyder;  P.  S.,  B.  B.  Woodward  ;  T.,  L  Hall. 

July  1st— N.  G.,  J.  H.  Dumont ;  V.  G.,  M.  D.  Snyder ;  R.  S.,  A.  E.  Barrow  ; 
P.  S.,  B.  B.  Woodward ;  T.,  I.  Hall. 


January  1st,  1857— N.  G.,  M.  D.  Snyder;  V.  G.,  A.  H.  Barrow;  R.  S.,  J. 
W.  Danah  ;  P.  S.,  B.  B.  Woodward  ;  T.,  I.  Hall. 

July  lst~N.  G.,  A.  H.  Barrow;  V.  G.,  J.  W.  Danah;  R.  S.,  Jno.  H.  Bell; 
P.  S.,  B.  B.  Woodward;  T.,  I,  Hall. 

January  1st,  1858— N.  G.,  J.  W.  Danah  ;  V.  G.,  Jno.  H.  Bell ;  R.  S.,  J.  B. 
Leake;  P.  S.,  B.  B.  Woodward;  T.,  I.  Hall.  One  hundred  and  seventy-five 
members. 

State  Encampment,  No.  3, 1.  0.  0.  F.,  was  instituted  April  22d,  1848,  by  D. 
D.  G.  Sire,  John  G.  Potts.  Charter  members,  James  Thorington,  R.  M.  Pret- 
tyman,  John  H.  Morton,  Thos.  V.  Blakemore,  Lewis  Hamilton,  M.  D.  West- 
lake,  L.  J.  Center. 

Officers— C.  P.,  James  Thorington ;  H.  P.,  Jno.  H.  Morton ;  S.  W.,  T.  V. 
Blakemore  ;  J.  W.,  L.  J.  Center ;  S.,  R.  M.  Prettyman  ;  T.,  Lewis  Hamilton. 

January  1st.,  ls.49— C.  P.,  Chas.  Weston;  H.  P.,  Geo.  B.  Sargent ;  S.  W.,  A. 
Nugent;  J.  W.,  R.  M.  Prettyman  ;  S.,  Jas.  Thorington;  T.,  Jno.  H.  Morton. 

July  1st.— C.  P.,  Jno.  D.  Evans;  H.  H.,  L.  J.  Center  ;  S.  W.,  John  Pope ;  J. 
W.,  R,  M.  Prettyman  ;  S.,  Jas.  Thorington;  T.,  Jno.  H.  Morton. 

January  1st.,  1850 — C.  P.,  Thos.  V.  Blakemore  ;  H.  P.,  Lewis  Hamilton;  S. 
W.,  R.  M.  Prettyman;  J.  W.,  Chas.  Weston ;  S.,  Geo.  B.  Sargent;  T.,Jno.  H. 
Morton. 

July  1st.— C.  P  ,  Aaron  S.  Nugent;  H.  P.,  M.  D.  Westlake ;  S.  W.,  N.  M. 
Rambo ;  J.  W.,  Abijah  Sawyer;  S.,  Jas.  Thorington;  T.,  Jno.  H.  Morton. 

January  1st,  1851— C.  P.,  Nathan  M.  Rambo;  H.  P.,  C.  M.  Peck ;  S.  W.,  A. 
Sawyer  ;  J.  W.,  L.  J.  Center;  S.,  M.  D.  Westlake;  T.,  Jno.  H.  Morton. 

August,  1851,  the  State  Encampment  renewed  its  Charter,  and  on  the  1st  day 
of  October,  1855,  reclaimed  it  again. 

Officers  January  1st,  1856— C.  P.,  A.  H.  Barrow  ;  H.  P.,  C.  M.  Peck ;  S.  W., 
William  Pool;  J.  W.,  S.  N.  Stevens  ;  S.,  B.  B.  Woodward;  T.,  L.  C.  Dessaint. 

July  1st— C.  P.,  William  Pool ;  H.  P.,  B.  B.  Woodwiird  ;  S.  W  ,  M.  D  Snyder; 
J.  W.,  S.  N,  Stevens ;  S.,  S.  K.  Barkley ;  T.,  L.  C.  Dessaint. 

Sanuary  1st,  1857— C.  P.,  M.  D.  Snyder;  H.  P.,  Wra.  Pool;  S.  W.,  Marsh 
Noe;  J.  W.,  L.  S.  Johnson  ;  S.,  M.  Dalzell ;  T.,  L.  C.  Dessaint. 

July  1st— C.  P.,  B.  B.  Woodward;  H.  P.,  A.  H.  Barrow;  S.  W.,  J.  W.  Dar- 
rah;  J.  \Y.,  J.  J.  Humphrey;  S.,  Jno.  H.  Bell  ;  T.,  Wm.  Pool. 

January  1st,  1858— C.  P.,  J.  W.  Darrah  ;  H.  P.,  Wm.  B.  Kerns;  8.  W.,  Jno. 
H.  Bell ;  J.  W.,  Jac  Metzger ;  S.,  L.  S.  Johnson  ;  T.,  Wm.  Pool.  Thirty-three 
members. 

Scott  Lodge,  No.  37,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  instituted  January  13,  1852,  by  James 
Thornington,  D.  D.  G.  M.  Charter  members,  Thos.  V.  Blakemore,  Jr.,  Jno.  A. 
Boyd,  Wm.  Howard,  Wm.  Sims,  Wm.  H.  White,  Geo.  G.  Arndt,  R.  Roberts,  A. 
Smallfiald,  and  Thos.  V.  Blakemore,  Sr. 

Officers— N  G.,  Wm  Sims ;  V  G,,  Wm  Howard  ;  R  S.,  Wm  H  White  ;  T.,  Jno 
A  Boyd. 


318  DAVENPORT 


July  1st,  1852— N  G.,  Wm  Howard  ;  V  G.,  H  S  Finley ;  P  S.,  H  Reichenbach, 
T.,  Jno  A  Boyd. 

January  1st,  1853— N  G.,  H  S  Finley  ;  V  G.,  John  Weeks  ;  R  S.,  Geo  G. 
Arndt ;  P  S.,  T  V  Blakemore ;  T.,  Jno  A  Boyd. 

July  1st— N  G.,  Wm  P  Bailey  ;  V  G.,  Geo  G  Arndt ;  R  S.,  Jno  Hornby  ;  P  S., 
T  V  Blakemore  ;  T.,  Jno  A  Boyd. 

January  1st,  1854— N  G,  Geo  G  Arndt ;  V  G,  Ephraim  T  Johnson  ;  R  S, 
Edward  L  Johnson ;  P  S,  T  V  Blakemore  ;  T,  Jno  A  Boyd. 

July  1st— N  G,  A  Smallfield;  V  G,  E  T  Johnston  ;  R  S,  E  L  Johnston;  P 
S,  T  V  Blakemore  ;  T,  Jno  A  Boyd. 

January  1st,  1855— N  G,  E  T  Johnston;  V  G,  E  L  Johnston-;  R  S,  John  A 
Rode  ;  P  S,  Isaac  Maas  ;  T,  John  A  Boyd. 

July  ]  St— N  G,  E  L  Johnston  ;  V  G,  Isaac  Maas  ;  R  S,  A  Smallfield  ;  T,  Jno 
A  Boyd. 

January  1st,  1856— N  G,  J  A  Rhode ;  V  G,  L  W  Steinberg  ;  R  S,  F  Mahuke  ; 
P  S,  A  Smallfield  ;  T,  F  Dittmer. 

July  1st— N  G,  L  W  Steinberg  ;  V  G,  F  Mahuke ;  R  S,  C  J  H  Eyser  ;  P  S,  A 
Smallfield  ;  T,  F  Dittmer. 

January  1st,  1857— N  G,  F  Mahuke;  VG,  F  Dittmer;  R  S,  H  Seifiert;  P  S, 
L  W  Steinberg;  T,  Glaus  WulflF. 

July  1st— N  G,  F  Dittmer ;  V  G,  C  WulfF;  R  S,  Jac  Metzger ;  P  S,  L  W 
Steinberg  ;  T,  H  Rhode. 

January  1st,  1838— N  G,  Glaus  Wulflf;  V  G,  Jac  Metzger;  R  S,  Chas  A 
Wodz ;  P  S,  F  Dittmer  ;  T,  H  Rhode. 

Twin  City  Degree  Lodge.  No,  1,  I  0.  0.  F.,  instituted  March  2lst,  1856. 
Charter  members,  Jas.  Tborington,  A.  H.  Barrow,  H.  Price,  Wm.  Pool,  B.  B. 
Woodward,  J.  D  Patton,  Geo.  W.  Arndt. 

Officers— D  M,  Wm  Pool  ;  D  D  M,.L  W  Steinberg  ;  A  D  M,  Geo  G  Ardnt ;  S, 
B  B  Woodward  ;  T,  A  H  Barrow. 

July  1st— D  M,  Wm  Pool ;  D  D  M,  L  W  Steinberg ;  A  D  M,  Geo  W  Hall ;  S, 
B  B  Woodward  ;  T,  J  W  Danah. 

January  5tb,  1857— D  M,  Wm  Pool  ;  D  D  M,  L  W  Steinberg;  A  D  M,  Wm 
B  Kerns  ;  S,  B  B  Woodward  ;  T,  J  W  Danah. 

July  1st— D  M,  B  B  Woodward  ;  D  D  M,  L  W  Steinberg  ;  A  D  M,  Wm  Pool ; 
S,  John  H  Bell ;  T,  J  W  Danah. 

January  1st,  1858— D  M,  Wm  B  Kerns;  D  D  M,  L  W  Steinberg ;  A  D  M, 
Wm  Pool ;  S,  Jno  H  Bell ;  T,  J  W  Danah. 


SONS  OF  TEMPERANCE. 


The  order  of  the  Sods  of'Tcmperance  was  established  in  Davenport,  on 
the  5th  day  of  October,    184*7,  bj  the  organization  of  Scott  Division,  No.  1- 

The  organization  was  effected  by  a  dispensation  of  the  National  Division 
of  North  America  to  T.  S.  Battelle,  the  then  acting  Deputy  for  the  State  of 
Iowa. 

At  the  institution  ot  this  Division,  H.  Price  was  elected  W.  P.,  and  Enos 
Tichenor,  W.  A.,  and  operations  were  commenced  in  the  loft  of  an  old  school 
house,  with  a  membership  of  eleven. 

The  prejudice  existing  in  the  minds  of  many  good  men  against  Secret  So- 
cieties, has  exerted  an  influence  unfavorable  to  the  success  of  this  Society, 
but  nolwiihstanding  the  opposition  from  this  and  various  other  sources,  Scott 
Division  has  continued  to  increase  in  numbers  and  in  interest,  having  during 
the  time  that  has  elapsed  since  her  organization,  enrolled  the  names  of  hund- 
reds among  her  members  and  marshaled  them  to  the  contest  against  the  great 
enemy  of  the  human  race. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  first  prohibitory  Liquor  Law  of  the  State  of 
Iowa  was  drawn  up  by  a  member  of  this  Division,  and  the  printing  and  speak- 
ing, and  writing,  and  lobbying  necessary  to  secure  its  passage  through  the 
Legislature,  was  done  by  members  of  this  Division. 

The  meeting  nights  of  this  Division  from  the  commencement  has'  been  Fri- 
day, and  whether  the  j}Iace  has  been  attractive  or  otherwise,  the  time  has  been 
strictly  observed  and  no  omission  suffered  to  mar  the  record. 

This  Division  has  furnished  three  G.  W.  P.'s  and  two  G.  Scribes ;  but  the 
brightest  feature  connected  with  her  history  is  the  fact  that  at  the  present 
time  there  are  many  men  included  in  her  membership  who  have  been  literally 
taken  from  the  gutter  and  restored  to  their  families,  to  usefulness  and  respec- 
tability,and  who  but  for  this  organization  would  be  filling  dishonored  graves, 
or,  if  living,  be  a  disgrace  and  a  curse  to  themselves  and  the  community. 

At  the  present  time  the  Division  occupies  a  splendid  room  on  Brady  between 
Front  and  Second  streets  ;  is  free  from  debt,  and  has  money  in  her  Treasury. 


-  • 

PAST  AND 

PRESENT. 

319 

CENSUS  OF  THE  CITY  OF  DAVENPORT,  TAKEN  MARCH  1858. 

TS 

13 

•s 

T3 

-a 

TJ 

b 

>> 

(h 

u 

^^ 

s~ 

S3 

03 

oj 

d 

* 

08 

OCCUPATIONS. 

^ 

^ 

^ 

^ 

^ 

5= 

^ 

^ 

-a 

-a 

JS 

^ 

J3 

c? 

a 

t^ 

o 

'"' 

<N 

ft 

^ 

lO 

« 

^ 

Accountants, 

1 

1 

Agents, 

3 

2 

6 

10 

Auction  and  Commission, 

2 

2 

Architects, 

1 

1 

1 

S 

Auctioneers, 

I 

1 

Artists, 

1 

1 

2 

Agricultural  Implement  Dealers, 

1 

1 

Baggage  Master, 

1 

1 

Barbers, 

3 

3 

2 

1 

1 

10 

Bankers, 

5 

10 

1 

16 

Bakers, 

15 

8 

6 

I 

30 

Bar  Keepers, 

3 

2 

5 

Bell  Hanger, 

1 

1 

Basket  Makers, 

1 

1 

2 

Builders, 

6 

1 

1 

8 

Bishop, 

1 

1 

Bill  Broker, 

1 

1 

Blacksmiths, 

5 

24 

20 

13 

10 

4 

76 

Book  Keeper, 

1 

1 

6 

9 

16 

Book  Binders, 

2 

3 

5 

Boatmen, 

1 

4 

4 

1 

10 

Boarding  House  Keepers, 

2 

6 

4 

8 

2 

16 

Book  Seller, 

1 

1 

3 

5 

Boat  Builiers, 

1 

1 

2 

Boiler  Makers, 

1 

1 

2 

Brick  Makers, 

12 

S 

2 

4 

1 

22 

Brakesmen, 

6 

6 

Brick-layers, 

2 

5 

16 

3 

6 

3 

35 

Bridge  Builders, 

1 

1 

Butchers, 

13 

18 

6 

4 

2 

1 

44 

Brewers, 

2 

5 

4 

1 

2 

14 

Carpenters, 

155 

109 

152 

50 

51 

22 

539 

Carpet  Dealers, 

1 

1 

Cabinet  Mukcrs, 

4 

8 

4 

4 

'1 

21 

Carriage  Trimmer, 

2 

2 

Carriage  and  wagon  maker, 

4 

21 

16 

3 

1 

1 

46 

Cement  Roofer, 

1 

2 

3 

Chair  makers, 

1 

1 

3 

6 

Car  makers, 

1 

1 

^ 

. 

1 

320 

DAVENPORT 

1 

CENSUS  CONTINUED. 

- 

rs     1       T3 

-c     \ 

•d 

'O 

'"-d 

'"             ^ 

(H 

t-i 

^ 

t' 

C3     1        OS 

ei 

a 

c3 

s 

OCCUPATIONS. 

^     i       ^ 

^ 

^ 

^ 

^ 

^   ;    Ts 

'O 

^ 

A 

X 

"3 

w             O 

t-, 

r-    ;      M 

CO 

rjt 

»o 

£ 

H 

Civil  Engineers,' 

1 

1 

2 

City  Treasurer, 

1 

3 

"     Marshal, 

1 

1 

"     Clerk, 

1 

1 

1 

Clerks, 

4         30 

66 

44 

n 

2 

147 

Clerk  of  Courts, 

1 

1 

Clothiers, 

13 

13 

Cashiers, 

1 

1 

Contractors, 

2 

4 

1 

7 

Conductors, 

6 

5 

1 

12 

Coopers, 

33 

45 

6 

2 

5 

5 

96 

Confectioners, 

. 

1 

1 

2 

4 

Commission  Merchants, 

1 

2 

1 

1 

5 

CoQuty  Surveyor, 

1 

1 

"        Commissioner, 

1 

1 

Coachmen, 

1 

1 

Coal  Dealers, 

2 

2 

Constables, 

1 

1 

Comedian, 

2 

3 

5 

Cotton  Spinner, 

1 

1 

Collectors, 

1 

] 

2 

Cutters, 

4 

4 

Crockery  Dealers, 

1 

2 

2 

Clergymen, 

2  !         1 

7 

2 

o 

1 

16 

Dentists, 

2 

5 

7 

Daguerreans, 

8 

2 

1 

0 

Draymen, 

3 

3 

4 

9 

9 

28 

Dressmakers, 

1 

5 

1 

7 

Druggists, 

5 

-     1 

6 

Deputy  Sheriff, 

1 

1 

Dyer, 

1 

1 

Editors, 

2 

4 

2 

8 

Enscineers, 

4 

6 

8 

1 

«» 

28 

Engraver, 

1 

I 

Express  Agent, 

1 

1 

Farriers. 

2 

5 

2 

1 

10 

Farmers, 

. 

18 

11 

12 

21 

13 

5 

80 

Firemen, 

5 

1 

5 

3 

14 

Flour  Dealer, 

1 

1 

Fruit  Dealers, 

i        3 

1 

2 

8 

:      Fur  Dealer, 

1 

1        II 

Furniture  Dealers, 

5 

1 

8 

Gas  Fixtures, 

1 

4 

1 

6 

Gurdners, 

2 

1 

1 

4 

Gentlemen, 

« 

6 

Gi.iziers, 

1 

I 

2 

,  — . ____ 

PAST  AND  PRESENT. 

321 

CENSUS  (CONTINUED.) 

ts 

ra 

'TS 

"d 

V 

-o 

u 

(H 

i^ 

u 

u 

u 

<a 

<d 

a 

oS 

a 

« 

OCCUPATIONS. 

^ 

^ 

^ 

^ 

^ 

^ 

^ 

_^ 

rs 

rd 

J 

^ 

.a 

ci 

CQ 

a 

<M 

OS 

•^ 

US 

«> 

&1 

Grocers, 

14 

10 

20 

25 

2 

2 

73 

Gunsmiths, 

2 

2 

1 

5 

Hat  and  Cap  Dealers, 

2 

1 

3 

Hardware  Dealers, 

7 

3 

10 

Hatter, 

1 

1 

Horn  Worker, 

1 

1 

Hotel  Keepers, 

1 

10 

5 

1 

17 

Ice  Dealers, 

1 

1 

1 

3 

Insurance  Agents, 

1 

2 

4 

Iron  Dealer, 

1 

1 

Iron  Manufcturers, 

1 

1 

"Jack  of  all  Trades," 

2 

2 

Jewelers, 

1 

1 

8 

Justices  of  the  Peace, 

1 

1 

Judges, 

1 

1 

Lamplighters, 

1 

1 

2 

Land  Agents, 

4 

2 

1 

'7 

Laborers, 

426 

386 

116 

91 

215 

67 

1301 

Law  Students, 

1 

1 

Loafers, 

1 

3 

1 

5 

Land  Holder,  (A.  LeClaire,) 

1 

1 

Leather  Dealers, 

1 

1 

2 

Lime  Makers, 

1 

2 

3 

Livery  Men, 

12 

5 

3 

21 

Lawyers, 

2 

24 

14 

10 

2 

57 

Locksmiths, 

2 

2 

Lumber  Dealers, 

2 

3 

2 

5 

1 

13 

Masons, 

12 

26 

14 

11 

7 

8 

78 

Marble  Workers, 

1 

2 

3 

Machinists, 

1 

12 

6 

1 

9 

2 

43 

Manufacturers, 

3 

2 

2 

3 

2 

12 

Mattress  Maker, 

1 

1 

Master  Mechanic, 

1 

1 

Machine  Peddler, 

1 

1 

Messenger, 

1 

1 

Musicians, 

1 

14 

1 

16 

Missionary, 

1 

1 

Mineralogist, 

1 

1 

Merchants, 

12 

30 

34 

6 

82 

Medical  Students, 

1 

1 

Merchant  Tailors, 

2 

2 

1 

r, 

Milliners, 

1 

2 

6 

'■'■■ 

Mill  Wrights, 

1 

2 

1 

4 

Millers, 

2 

1 

3 

13 

2 

7 

27 

Music  Teachers, 

3 

1 

5 

Moulders, 

1 

1 

3 

1 

1 

13 

41 

322 


DAVENPORT 


CENSUS  (CONTINUED.) 


OCCUPATIONS. 


News  Dealer, 

Notaries  Tublic, 

Nurserymeu, 

(Jverseei"  Poor, 

Painters, 

Pattern  Makers, 

Paper  Carriers, 

Peddlers, 

Plasterers, 

Plumber, 

Physicians, 

Paper  Hanger, 

Piano  Maker, 

Piano  Mender, 

Pilots, 

Plow  Makers, 

Post  Master, 

Policemen, 

Pork  Packers, 

Professor  Mathematics, 

Professor  Book-keeping;, 

Professor  Languages, 

Prof.    Mental  and  Moral  Philoso' 

Printei-s, 

Publishers, 

Pump  Makers, 

Raftsmen, 

Real  Estate  Dealers, 

Recorder, 

Road  Master, 

R.  R.  Repairers, 

R.  R.  Superintendent, 

Roofer, 

Salesmen, 

Saloon  Keepers, 

Sash 'and  Blind  Makers, 

Sawers, 

Segar  Makers, 

Sempstresses, 

Sexton, 

Sailors, 

Secretary  Railroad, 

Segar  Peddler, 

Sausage  Maker, 

Saddle  and  Harness  Makers, 

Silver  Plater, 

Shingle  Maker, 


1 

2 

9 

28 

1 

3 

2 

5 

16 

13 

1 

4 

8 

1 

8 


2 

18 

6 

9 

7 


1 


22 
1 


1 

14 

1 

1 

2 

1 

1 

4 

1 

1 

1 

1 

3 

4 

PAST  AND  PRESENT. 

323       ' 

CENSUS  (CONTINUED.) 

r^ 

73 

r3 

^ 

■a 

T3 

U 

!-• 

u 

^ 

t^ 

u 

03 

c3 

es 

r» 

C3 

^ 

OCCUPATIONS. 

^ 

^ 

^ 

^ 

1^ 

IS 

^ 

■rJ      . 

ri 

ja 

J3 

^ 

"rt 

fi 

^ 

'-' 

(N 

CO 

^ 

lO 

O 

H 

Shoemakers, 

12  1       31 

32 

20 

5 

6 

106 

Shoe  Dealers, 

t 
* 

6 

5 

11 

Sheriif, 

! 

1 

1 

Shoe  Cutters, 

1 

1 

Sculptors, 

1 

J 

Soap  Makers, 

7 

7 

Speculators, 

1            2 

6 

7 

2 

18 

Straw  Goods  Makers, 

1 

1 

Stove  Dealers, 

i         1 

1 

2 

Students, 

2 

8 

5 

11 

2(5 

Starch  Makers, 

1 

1 

Stair  Builders, 

1 

1 

Steamboat  Captains, 

1 

1 

Stone  Cutter, 

1 

1 

Steam  Fitters, 

2 

2 

Surveyors, 

1 

1 

2 

Switch  Tenders, 

1 

1 

Tailors, 

13  1       31          16 

10 

3 

1 

74 

Tailoresses, 

1 

1 

4 

2 

6 

Tanners, 

1 

1                    1 

4 

1 

8 

Teamsters, 

39 

S6         37 

14 

6 

13 

14.5 

Teachers, 

1         3          15 

3 

5 

2G 

Tellers, 

2 

'            9 

Tinners, 

1  i         1 

6 

8 

Tobacconists, 

1          2 

6 

1 

S 

Traveling  Agents, 

1 

1 

9 

Traders, 

1 

1 

2 

Trunk  Makers, 

1 

1 

Umbrella  Makers, 

1 

1 

Undertakers, 

1 

1 

Upholsters, 

2 

2 

2 

G 

Varnishers, 

1 

1 

2 

Varnish  Makers, 

i         1 

1     i 

Vegetable  Dealers, 

1 

2 

3 

Washerwomen, 

8          14 

8 

2 

9 

1 

4-2 

Watchmen, 

2 

1 

3 

Watch-makers, 

5 

4 

9 

Well  Diggers, 

1   1         3 

3 

7 

Weighers, 

1 

1 

Wheat  Buyers, 

4 

• 

4 

Wood  Buyers, 

1 

1 

2 

Wood  Sawyers, 

1 

1 

Writers, 

1 

1 

1 

32-4                                            DAVENPORT 

CENSUS 

(CONTINUED.) 

13                 rd 

-a 

ts 

•xs 

13 

M                          F-l 

u 

h 

(1 

b 

e3             (^ 

o3 

<d 

o3 

eJ 

NATIVITIES. 

^ 

^ 

^ 

^ 

^ 

^ 

c3 

4^ 

IS 

TS 

,si 

^ 

ja 

Q 

a 

tH 

'•-' 

Oi 

CO 

■* 

lO 

£ 

H 

America, 

)15 

1174 

1928 

1738 

782 

486 

7023 

Ireland, 

i27 

325 

296 

442 

488 

83 

1961 

England, 
Germany, 

11 

40 

59 

60 

30 

34 

240 

16 

437 

622 

133 

35 

4 

1277 

Holstein, 

459 

626 

1 

82 

1268 

Mecklenburg, 

88 

110 

2 

1:210 

Bavaria, 

48 

32 

13 

93 

Wurtemberg.J 

IT 

24 

6 

47 

Hessia, 

12 

35 

14 

61 

Saxe  Coburg, 
Scotland, 

4 

6 
10 

23 

20 

15 

8 

6 
80 

Hungary, 
Canada, 

8 
19 

8 
11 

7 
13 

2 

5 

19 

4 

25 

71 

Wales, 

13 

2 

1 

16 

France, 

11 

10 

3 

10 

54 

Italy, 

3 

2 

9 

1 

5 
11 

Sweden, 

West  India, 

4 

1 

1 

Negroes, 

12 

7 

2 
3 

1 
1 

9 

35 
4 

S.  America, 

New  Brunswick, 

1 

2 

Isle  of  Jersey, 

1 

1 

1 

Holland, 

4 

1 

2 

8 

Hindostan, 

8 

8 
1 

7 

Costa  Rica, 

1 

Nova  Scotia, 

1 

2 

4 

Bohemia, 

11 

8 

21 

10 

34 

Prussia, 

139 

159 

9 

15 

324 

Hanover, 

85 

49 

1 
1 

2 

13 

156 

1 

188 

3 

41 

60 

35 

Russia, 
Switzerland, 

92 

69 

2 

17 

Norway, 
Austria, 

15 

11 

2 

15 

Hamburg, 
Baden, 

ST 
18 

23 
14 

3 

Saxony, 

5 

2 

1 

8 
2 

Poland, 
D<^nmark, 

13 

2 
6 

19 

1        ?.:    uen, 

26 

9 

19 

54 
3 
1 

Posen, 

3 

1 

Mexico, 

1 

Waldeck, 

1 

10 

j        Demsted, 

Total, 
Unknown, 

8 

2 

1 

13,455 
3222 

PAST  AND  PRESENT. 


325 


CENSUS   (CONTINUED.) 


d 
468 

i 

a 

a 
<i> 

Eh 

259 

v 
a 
& 
O 

300 

Adults. 

Children. 

m 

o 

> 

12; 

no 

O 

"S 
270 

WARDS. 

4J 

'3 

858 

'3 

a 

778 

m 

"3 

718 

0) 

"3 

a 

643 

a 
< 

First  ,\^ard, 

3  0 

SecouJ  Ward, 

599 

427 

249 

1171 

901 

822 

8-18 

150 

347 

5  13 

Third  Ward, 

519 

330 

237 

1222 

8C9 

778 

775 

456 

275 

2::4 

Fourth  Ward, 

353 

2i6 

177 

970 

767 

634 

716 

517 

170 

105 

Fifth  Ward, 

287 

U7 

178 

593 

514 

389 

458 

153 

183 

no 

Sixth  Ward, 

149 

55 

108 

32P 

301 

312 

340 

73 

72 

69 

Total, 

23*75 

1464 

1249 

5144 

4100 

3653 

3780 

1459 

1317 

1471 

The  census  of  Davenport  Township  for  1856,  showed  a  population  of  12,821. 
The  above  returns  show  the  city  to  have  a  population  of  16,677.  Estimating 
the  inhabitants  of  the  township,  outside  of  the  city,  to  be  about  1500,  and  we 
have  a  total  of  about  18.000,  or  an  increase  of  fifty  per  cent  in  eighteen  months. 

Of  the  population  of  the  city,  (including  a  majority  of  nativities  unknown,) 
fifty  per  cent  are  Americans,  about  twelve  per  cent  Irish,  about  twenty  per 
cent  Germans,  and  a  little  less  than  two  per  cent  English — leaving  a  balance 
of  sixteen  per  cent  to  be  divided  among  unknown  and  other  nativities, 

COMPiKATIVE    ESTIMATE    OP    POPULATION. 


1836 
1837 
1840 
1841 
1842 
1850 


60  1852 


1,« 


150 
600 
700 
900 


1853 
1854 
1855 
1856 
1858  (March,) 


8,500 
4,500 
6.000 
,8,000 
11,500 
16,677 


The  increase  of  Cincinnati  for  twenty  years  from  its  formation  was  from  750 
inhabitants  to  9,602;  of  Pittsburg,  at  the  same  time,  1,565  to  7,243  ;  Louisville 
600  to  4,012 ;  New  Orleans,  9,650  to  27,658.  The  greatest  increase  exhibited 
by  any  one  of  these  for  any  five  years  was  110  per  cent,  while  that  of  Daven- 
port for  the  last  five  years  has  been  nearly  400  per  cent. 


LIST  OF  OFFICERS 

FROM  TUK  DATK  OF  lllE  FIRST  CIIARTEll  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME. 

1839. — Mayor,  Rodolphus  Bennett;  Recorder,  Frazier  Wilson;  Treasurer, 
James  M.  Bowling;   Marshal,  George  Colt. 

1840. — Mayor,  John  H.  Thoriugtou  ;  Recorder,  Frazier  Wilson;  Treasurer, 
James  M.  Bowling;  Marshal,  William  B.  Watts. 

1841. — Mayor,  Jonathan  W.  Parker ;  Recorder,  John  Pope  ;  Treasurer, 
James  M.  Bowling ;  Marshal,  William  B.  "Watts. 

1842. — Mayor,  Harvey  Leonard  ;  Ptecorder,  J.  W.  Parker;  Treasurer,  James 
M.  Bowling  ;  Marshal,  Gilbert  B.  McKown. 

1848. — (New  Charter  granted.) — Mayor,  James  Thorington  ;  Clerk,  Jona- 
than W.  Parker  ;  Treasurer,  John  Evans  ;  Marshal,  Jared  N.  Snow. 

1844. — Mayor,  James  Thorington;  Clerk,  Levi  Davis;  Treasurer,  John 
Evans  ;  Marshal,  Jared  N.  Snow. 

1845. — Mayor,  James  Thorington;  Clerk,  John  Pope;  Treasurer,  John 
Evans  ;  Marshal,  Samuel  Lyter. 

1846. — Mayor,  James  Thorington;  Clerk,  John  Pope;  Treasurer,  John 
Evans  ;  Marshal,  Samuel  Lyter. 

184Y. — Mayor,  James  M.  Bowling  ;  Clerk,  James  Thorington  ;  Treasurer, 
;  Marshal,  John  Evans. 

1848. — Mayor,  James  M.  Bowling;  Clerk,  James  Thorington  ;  Treasurer, 
John  Evans  ;  Marshal,  Samuel  Parker. 

1849. — Mayor,  Jonathan  Parker ;  Clerk,  James  Thorington ;  Treasurer, 
John  Evans  ;  Marshal,  Lockwood  J.  Center. 

1850. — (Charter  Amended.) — Mayor,  James  Hall ;  Clerk,  James  Thorington; 
Treasurer,  John  Evans  ;  Marshal,  L.  J.  Center. 

1851. — (New  Charter.) — Mayor,  Charles  Weston  ;  Clerk,  A.  F.  Mast ;  Marshal, 
Patrick  Courtney;  Treasurer,  L.  B.  Collaraer. 

Aldermen — First  Ward,  Adam  Weigand,  Harvey  Leonard ;  Second  Ward, 
Egbt.  S.  Barrows,  Nathanthiel  Squires ;  Second  Ward,  Ebenezer  Cook,  Hiram 
Price. 

1852. — Mayor,  John  Jordan  ;  Clerk,  A.  F.  Mast  ;  Marshal,  Samuel  Parker; 
Treasurer,  William  Van  Tuyl. 

Aldermen — First  Ward,  Harvey  Leonard,  Adam  Weigand ;  Second  Ward, 
Nathaniel  Squires,  John  P.  Cook  ;  Third  Ward,  Hiram  Price,  John  Bechtel. 

1853. — Mayor,  John  A.  Boyd;  Clerk,  Richard  K.  Allen;  Marshal,  Samuel 
Parker ;  Treasurer,  Jessamine  Drake. 

Aldermen — First  Ward,  Adam  Weigand,  John  Weeks  ;  Second  ,Ward,  John 
P.  Cook,  Joseph  Kingerlee ;  Third  Ward,  Hiram  Price,  William  Gray. 

1854. — Mayor,  James  Grant ;  Clerk,  B.  B.  Woodward;  Marshal,  L.  J.  Center  ; 
Treasurer,  L.  B.  CoUamer. 

Aldermen — First  Ward,  H.  Wilhelme,  G,  G.  Arndt ;  Second  Ward,  Chas.  J. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT.  327 


H.  Eyser,  E.  A.  Gerdtzen ;  Third  Ward,  B.  Atkinson,  D.  P.  McKown ;  Fourth 
Ward— Heury  H.  Smith,  Ebenezer  Cook;  Fifth  Ward,  William  Burris,  A.  A. 
McLoskey. 

1855. — Mayor,  Edos  Tichenor;  Clerk,  B.  B.  Woodward;  Marshal  Samuel 
Parker;  Treasurer,  William  Van  Tuyl. 

Aldermen— First  Ward,  G.  G.  Arndt,  Gilbert  C.  R.  Mitchell ;  Second  Ward, 
E.  A.  Gerdtzen,  Charles  J.  H.  Eyser;  Third  Ward,  D.  P.  McKown,  Austin 
Corbin;  Fourth  Ward,  Ebenezer  Cook,  Hiram  Price;  Fifth  Ward,  Anthony  A. 
McLoskey,  Alfred  H.  Owens;  Sixth  Ward,  Joseph   Lambrite,  Samuel  Sadoris. 

1856.— Mayor,  G.  C.  R.  Mitchell;  Clerk,  Wm.  Hall;  Treasurer,  Samuel 
Sylvester;  Marshal,  John  H.  Taylor. 

Aldermen— First  Ward,  James  O'Brien,  John  Schuett ;  Second  Ward,  C.  J. 
H.  Eyser,  Aug.  Smallfield  ;  Third  Ward — Austin  Corbin,  James  M.  Bowling  ; 
Fourth  Ward,  Hiram  Price,  John  Forrest;  Fifth  Ward,  W.  S.  Kinsey,  S.  R. 
Barkley;  Sixth  Ward,  Sam.  Sadoris,  Joseph  Lambrite. 

1857.— Mayor,  Geo  B.  Sargent ;  Marshal,  H.  W.  Mitchell ;  Clerk,  E.  Peck  ; 
Treasurer,  Samuel  Sylvester. 

Aldermen. — First  Ward,  J.  W.  Cannon,  A.  Jennings ;  Second  Ward,  H.  Ram- 
ming, Theo.  Guelich  ;  Third  Ward,  J.  M.  Bcrling,  Austin  Corbin;  Fourth 
Ward,  John  Forrest,  J.  C.  Washburne ;  Fifth  Ward,  James  O'Brien,  Geo.  E. 
Hubbell,  vice  A.  LeClaire,  resigned  ;  Sixth  Ward,  Wm.  Guy,  J.  H.  Sears. 

1858. — Mayor,  Ebenezer  Cook;  Marshal,  John  Becbtel ;  Treasurer,  Lorenzo 
Schricker;  Clerk,  Hallei  Kilbourn. 

Aldermen — First  Ward,  John  M.  Cannon,  I.  P.  Coates  ;  Second  Ward,  Theo. 
Guelich,  Henry  Ramming;  Third  Ward,  Austin  Corbin,  James  Mackintosh; 
Fourth  Ward,  Thomas  H.  Morley,  John  C.  Washburne;  Fifth  Ward,  Geo.  E. 
Hubbell,  James  O'Brien;  Sixth  Ward,  Robt.  Christie,  J.  H.  Sears. 


328 


DAVENPORT 


CITY  VOTE,  APRIL,  1858. 


WARDS, 

03 

S-i 

■a 

03 

•a 

a 

13 

13 

CO 

13 

a 

CM 

t3 

00 

^ 
•^ 

CO 

o 

For  Mayor, 

236 

273 

510 

414 

340 

104 

1877 

For  Marshal, 

243 

287 

550 

433 

355 

106 

1974 

For  Treasurer, 

240 

276 

531 

424 

353 

103 

1927 

For  Clerk, 

241 

287 

545 

429 

319 

104 

1925 

For  Alderman, 

228 

227 

500 

412 

352 

102 

1321 

Number   of  Ballots  Cast, 

246 

396^ 

558 

443 

355 

106 

2004 

// 


APPENDIX. 


Friend  Wilkie: — As  I  am  informed  you  intend  in  your  forthcoming  History  of  "Davenport 
Past  and  Present"  to  give  some  incidents  referring  to  the  Black  Hawk  War,  I  will  give  you,  from 
recollection,  a  statement  of  some  facts  that  you  may  arrange  for  your  book,  and  put  in  a  shajie 
that  win  interest  your  readers. 

As  I  before  stated,  I  carried  Gen.  Gaines,  several  officers,  and  as  many  XJ.  S.  Troops  from  Jeffer- 
son Barracks  to  Rock  Island,  in  1831,  as  I  could  accommodate  on  the  steamboat  JSnterpriae.  I 
was  in  the  Council  Chamber  when  Black  Hawk  aud  his  Chiefs  aL-d  Braves  were  apparently  very 
near  destroying  the  lives  of  the  U.  S.  Officers,  and  every  other  white  man  in  the  Council  Chamber. 
I  know  the  fact,  that  Gen.  Gaines,  the  officers  of  the  U.  S.  Army,  the  Indian  Agent,  (who  was 
the  next  year  killed  by  the  Black  Hawk  Band,)  Mr.  Antoine  LeClaire,  Indian  Interpreter,  Mr. 
George  Davenport,  Mr.  Eussel  Farnham,  and  some  others,  all  done  their  duty  most  humanely  to 
conciliate  and  reconcile  that  desperate  band  of  marauders,  that  separated  themselves  from  tha 
then  friendly  nation  of  Indians,  called  "  Sac  and  Fox,"  whose  principal  Chiefs  were  men  of  talent, 
discretion  and  prudence,  and  who  commanded  the  respect  of  officers  and  traders  who  had  business 
and  intercourse  with  them. 

I  know  that  Gen.  Gaines  was  extremely  humane  and  conciliatory,  in  18-31,'  toward  Black 
Hawk  and  his  band,  and  I  know,  too,  that  all  the  gentlemen  I  named  above,  contributed  their 
advice  and  influence  to  procure  a  reconciliation.  This  disaffected  Band  had  with  them  a  con- 
siderable number  of  Squaws  and  Pappooses  (women  and  children,)  which  I  know,  from  conversa- 
tion at  that  time  with  Gen.  Gaines,  Officcers,  Traders,  Agent  and  Interpretoi-,  was  a  prominent 
reason,  concurred  in  by  all,  to  induce  extraordinary  efforts  for  conciliation  towards  this  Band  of 
inhuman  and  ill  governed  out-laws. 

.It  is  a  matter  of  history,  that  this  Band  made  a  Treaty,  received  valuable  presents  from  the 
U.  S.  Government,  made  promise  of  permanent  peace,  and  returned  to  their  own  country  in  1831. 

In  the  Spring  of  1832,  they  reorganized  with  renewed  strength  from  the  means  they  obtained 
by  the  Treaty  stipulations  from  the  United  States,  and  commenced  their  work  of  death 
and  destruction  on  defenceless  inhabitants,  at  many  points,  both  along  the  River,  and  in  the 
interior  of  the  State  of  Illinois. 

I  was  at  Galena  with  my  steamboat  Dove  in  1832,  when  two  survivors,  out  of  nine,  came  into 
Galena,  and  brought  intelligence  of  the  murder  of  their  seven  companions,  one  of  whom  was  the 
U.  S.  Indian  Agent  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  Mr.  Felix  St.  Vrain,  who  was  a  humane  and  most 
worthy  gentleman,  as  well  as  popular  Agent  with  the  Chiefs  and  Indians  generally.  I  knew  him 
well,  and  in  common  with  all  who  were  acquainted  with  his  character,  respectedhim  highly. 

It  happened  that  Gen.  George  W.  Jones,  our  present  U.  S.  Senator,  who  was  tlien  in  Lead 
Smeltiug  and  Merehantile  business  some  miles  from  the  towu,  cameTin  that  morning,  and  in  a 
few  minutesjafter,  he  heard  of  the  probable  murder  of  Felix  St.  Vrain,  his  brother-in-law.  (Tho 
two  that  canio  in  said  that  Mr.  St.  Vrain,  when  they  last  saw  him,  was  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from 
them,  and  they  heard  severtil  rifle  shots.)  When  he  mounted  his  horse  to  start,  I  was  with  him, 
and  begged  of  him  to  wait  an  hour,  until  some  friends  could  bo  raised  to  go  with  him ;  and  I 
know,  too,  that  several  of  his  friends  tried  to  prevail  upon  him  to^delay  until  ho  could  havo 
several  go  with  him. 

The  excitement  that  morning  was  intense.  The  trifling  participation  I  had  in  tho  matter  gave 
me  knowledge  of  a  fact  that  is  highly  creditable  to  Gen.  Jones,  and  I  will  state  it  with  the  hope 
that  you  will  make  it  a  matter  of  history.  . 

Being  then  intimate  with  Mr.  Jone?,  I  took  some  interest  in  detaining  him;  I  think  I  hold  tho 
rein  of  the  bridle,  and  told  him  it  would  be  rash  imprudence  for  him  to  go  before  he  procured  at 
least  a  few  companions.  He  told  me  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  go  immediately.  He  said  to  me—-'  My 
friend,  if  I  can  get  to  my  poor  brother-in-law  even  a  few  minutes  before  any  one  olse,  to  staunch 
his  wounds,  and  save  his  life,  I  will  bo  doing  my  duty ;  therefore  I  will  not  wait " 

Off  he  went.  I  started  that  day  for  St.  Louis  ;  stopped  at  Rock  Island,  and  called  to  sec  my 
friend,  J/ajw  George  Davenport;  found  him  and  his  family  (as  all  the  inhabitants  along  the  river 
were,)  in  a  state  of  excitement  and  dread.  His  tables  and  sideboard  woro  covered  with  jjowder- 
horns,  cartridges,  pistols,  &c. ;  guns  in  corners,  and  a  swivel  at  the  door. 

When  ho  was  informed  of  tho  proliablo  murder  of  Mr.  St.  Vrain,  ho  seemed  deeply  grieved, 
evincing  generous  and  laudable  solicitude  for  the  wife  aud  children  of  Mr.  St.  Vrain,  who  woro 
residing  in  the  Government  Council  House  on  tho  Island. 

42 


-/ 


330 


APPENDIX. 


Slajor  Davenport  and  myself  went  to  see  Mrs.  St.  Train.  We  advised  her,  as  there  was  great 
danger  to  Ijor  iiud  lier  family  there,  to  go  down  on  my  boat,  as  they  would  be  safe  at  St.  Gen- 
evieve, wlierc  her  piirents  and  connections  lived. 

She  seemed  to  know  by  intuition  that  her  husband  was  killed.  We  did  not  give  her  oven  an 
intimation  of  the  doleful  news  we  had  heard,  but  she  seemed  convinced  that  he  was  killed.  The 
deep  alliiction  of  the  mother  and  her  children  that  night  was  really  distressing.  The  family  went 
to  St.  Louis  with  me.  When  I  returned  to  Galena,  1  learned  that  a  party  ol  several  started  in  a 
few  minutes  after  Mr.  Jones,  but  did  not  overtake  him  until  they  were  some  six  miles  from 
Galena.  They  found  the  dead  body  of  Felix  St.  Vrain,  I  think,  some  fourteen  miles  from  Galena. 
The  heart  was  cut  out,  and  head  and  hand's  cut  ofl';  the  corpse  wasldentified  by  the  despatches* 
and  papers  that  were  left  undisturbed  in  his  pockets.  I  thought  then,  and  think  still  that  there 
are  but  few  me?i,  under  the  circumstances,  possessing  the  courage  and  magnanimity  to  act  as 
Gen.  George  W.  Jones  acted  on  that  occasion. 

The  day  1  arrived  at  Galena,  the  news  came  that  daily  and  nightly  murders  and  depredations 
were  committed  by  the  lilack  Hawk  Band  at  various  points,  which  created  tremendous  excite- 
ment. Col.  Strode  had  several  companies  mustered,  and  proclaimed  martial  law — which  required 
every  able-bodied  man  to  go  into  service.  There  was  a  good  supply  of  patriotic  and  brave,  as  well 
as  efficient  men  there  then ;  hundreds  of  miners  left  their  diggings,  and  came  into  Galena.  There 
were  a  number,  however,  who  preferred  remaining  in  the  town  to  soldiering.  Several  that  were 
extremely  active  and  fine  healthy  looking  men,  at  dancing  parties,  reported  themselves  as  inva- 
lids, and  exposed  internal  and  external  diseases ;  some  made  liberal  offers  to  the  Medical  faculty 
on  condition  that  they  should  be  rejected  as  unfit  for  service. 

Col.  Strode  pressed  my  steamboot,  crew  and  self,  and  we  got  ready  in  a  few  hours. 

A  short  time  before  w"e  started,  m*  Second  Engineer  left  the  boat ;  I  went  to  see  him.  He  told 
me  he  was  afraid  he  might  be  killed,  and  did  not  want  to  run  the  risk.  I  gave  him  half  an  hour  to 
make  up  his  mind  to  go  on  board,  and  attend  to  his  duty  as  an  officer  of  the  steamboat  Dove,  or 
I  would  have  him  put  in  the  ranks  of  the  Army  as  a  Private,  with  the  brand  of  a  coward  on  him. 
He  immediately  went  on  board,  and  he  and  the  otlier  Engineer  very  properly  requested  plank  to 
be  put  up  to  shield  them  aft  of  the  boilers.  We  shielded  the  Pilots  from  view  also  by  putting 
plank  on  each  side  of  the  Pilot  Wheel  House. 

On  our  way  down,  between  Galena  and  Rock  Island,  we  found  Mr.  Davidson's  house  had  been 
attacked  the  night  before.  Several  rifle  shots  had  been  fired  into  the  room  that  the  family  occu- 
pied. A  small  block  house  that  they  had  built  the  year  before,  .as  Mr.  Davidson  said,  "to  please  the 
women,"  saved  the  lives  of  that  family.  Mr.  Davidson's  was  the  only  house  there  then ;  now  the 
flourishing  town  ot  Savanna  is  on  that  location. 

We  saw  at  another  point,  near  where  Cordova  is  now  situated,  a  fire  still  burning,  where  the 
Indians  had  camped,  and  the  trail  where  they  had  traveled,  but  found  no  Indians.  We  returned 
to  Galena,  and  went  up  from  there  to  Prairie  du  Chien,  (Fort  Crawford.)  We  heard  of  Indians 
being  on  or  near  an  Island  a  short  distauce  above  Dubuque,  a  few  hours  before  we  arrived  there. 
Whilst  we  were  in  service  we  had  on  board  a  Company  of  about  eighty.  It  was  called  the  "  Spy 
Company,"  officers  and  privates  all  acted  alike,  and  I  think  were.gentlemen.  I  have  been  inti- 
;,VM-  wiih,  and  met  many  of  them  from  time  to  time  since.  They  were  a  choice  Company  of 
i'i^^ne^  ~.  and  acquitted  themselves  well  during  the  war,  and  many  of  them  have  been  since,  and 
are  now  distinguished  gentlemen  in  this  country.  I  have  read  several  misrepresentations  re- 
garding the  conduct  of  the  U.  S.  Government  towards  the  Black  Hawk  Band,  as  well  as  untruth- 
ful apologies  published  to  excuse  that  marauding  murderer's  party. 

Several  of  the  prominent  officers  in  that  war  have  efficiently  and  honorably  filled  high  places 
as  distinguished  Democrats  in  the  Councils  of  the  nation.  Instance  Governors^Reynolds  and 
Dodge,  Gen.  G.  W.  Jones,  and  others. 

I  had  intimate  acquaintance  with  many  officers,  agents,  interpreters.  Traders,  and  Indian 
Chiefs,  from  182V  up  to  this  time,  and  when  opportunity  offered  I  tried  to  learn  the  truth. 

Now,  when  I  look  back,  I  cannot  call  to  mind  a  single  instance  where  there  was  an  act  of  in- 
humanity or  oppression  encouraged  by  the  Administration  of  the  United  States,  or  the  Illinois 
State  Government.  Nor  do  I  know  of  a  single  case  of  an  official  or  trader  giving  cause  to  this 
Band  to  commence  the  war.  I  do  know  that  thousands  of  the  innocent  and  unoffending  inhab- 
itants of  Illinois  and  Wisconsin  were  driven  from  their  homes,  had  their  property  destroyed, 
families  seriously  inconvenienced,  and  several  inhuman  butcheries  of  men  who  had  no  part  in 
the  war.  were  committed  by  those  Indians  before  the  United  States  army  made  an  attack  on 
them,  i  know  that  the  privations,  distress,  dread,  and  intense  anxiety  of  the  white  inhabitants, 
caused  by  the  actions  and  demonstration  of  this  Band  of  out-laws,  were  general  and  wide-spread 
over  the"State  of  Illinois  and  Territory  of  Wisconsin,  from  the  Spring  of  1831,  to  the  end  of  the 
war,  which  was  terminated  by  the  memorable  battle  of  "  Bad  Axe"— where,  by  general  (and  I 
have  reason  to  believe  true,)  report.  Gov.  Henry  Dodge,  Ex-United  States  Senator  of  Wisconsin, 
gained  high  honors  by  his  brave  and  noble  conduct  in  the  command  of  that  division  of  the  army. 
1  have  frequently  heard  his  officers  speak  of  his  admirable  military  skill.  He  had,  in  the  war  of 
1812,  acquired  an  enviable  reputation  as  Captain  of  a  Company  of  Volunteers  from  St.  Genevive, 
Missouri.  j        ,,   ^  i. 

I  could  add  many  incidents  of  those  times  that  might  interest  some  of  your  readers,  but  have 


*Mr.  St.  Vrain  was  sent  from  Gen.  Atkinson's  Army,  on  Rock  River,  with  Despatches  to 
Galeua,  with  eight  escorts. 


h=z 


APPENDIX.  331 


W 


not  spare  time  to  prepare  tlietn ;  whaf  I  have  written  is  hastily  scratched  on  the  paper  from 
memory,  but,  nevertheless,  I  have  aimed  to  state  facts. 

[By  request  of  the  writer  of  the  above,  who  is  a  personal  friend  of  Jix-Gov.  Reynolrls,  and^also 
by  request  of  Ex-Gov.  Reynolds  himsejf,  we  append  the  following  account  of  tiio  lilack  Huwk 
AVar,  from  "  Annals  of  the  West,"  by  Messrs.  Perkins  and  Pecli  :  J 

As  this  portion  of  Illinois  history  has  been  mucli  misunder.-^tood,  and  consequently  misrepre- 
sented in  several  publications,  we  shall  give  the  facts  of  the  casu,  but  in  a  very  condensed  form  : 

1st.  The  Sauks  and  Foxes  had  no  original  right,  in  the  Indian  sense  even,  to  any  portion  of 
Illinois.    They  were  intruders  on  the  countrj-  of  the  Santeaurs  and  loways. 

2Qd.  The  head  chiefs  sold  their  claim  to  their  lands  in  Illinois  and  Southern  Wisconsin,  to 
the  United;States,  in;.1804.* 

3rd.  This  treaty  was  violated  by  all  that  portion  of  the  united  tribes,  which  committed  hostil- 
ities against  the  United  States,  and  joined  the  British  during  the  war.  The  portions  of  the  tribes 
that  remained  peaceable,  re-conflrmed  the  treaty  of  1804,  at  Portage  des  Sioux,  September  13th, 
1815.  The  hostile  part  of  the  nation,  in  1816,  .professed  repentance  for  their  misdeeds,  obtained 
forgiveness,  ar.d  the  treaty  of  1804  was  again  renewed  and  re-enacted, 

4th.  Black  Hawk  never  was  a  chief;  never  recognized  as  such  by  Indian  authority,  or  by  the 
United  States.  He  was  a  brave,  in  Indian  parlance,  gathered  around  him  a  small  party  of  disaf- 
fected spirits,  refused  to  attend  the  negotiations  of  1816;  went  lo  Canada,  proclaimed  himself  and 
his  party  British  subjects,  and  received  presents  from  that  quarter. 

5th.  Another  treaty  was  made  in  full  council,  "  with  the  chiefs,  warriors,  and  head  men  of 
the  Sac  and  Fox  tribes,"  at  Fort  Armstrong,  [Rock  Island,]  September  3rd,  1822,  by  the  agent  of 
the  United  States,  in  which  the  treaty  of  1804,  is  referred  to  and  ratified.  And  still  another 
treaty  was  made  by  ten  regularly  delegated  chiefs  and  head  men,  and  Governor  Clark  on  the 
part  of  the  United  S  ates,  in  Washington  City,  the  4th  of  August,  1824.  In  this  treaty  they  sell, 
for  a  valuable  consideration,  all  their  title  to  the  northern  portion  of  the  State  of  Missouri,  from 
the  Mississippi  to  the  western  boundary  of  that  State.  At  this  treaty  the  United  States  granted 
the  strip  of  country  between  the  Mississippi  and  Dcs  Moines  river,  to  certain  half-breeds  of  that 
nation.  And  on  all  the  lands  they  had  claimed  south  and  easi  of  this  line,  they  are  not  to  be  per- 
mitted to  settle  or  hunt,  after  the  first  day  of  January,  1S26. 

6th.  In  the  treaty  of  1804,  the  Sauks  and  Foxes  were  permitted  to  reside  and  hunt  on  the 
Ian  1  sold,  while  it  remained  the  property  of  the  United  States. 

AVriters,  and  especially  Brown,  have  retained  the  story  of  Black  Hawk,  and  by  this  means  mis- 
represented this  whole  business.  Brown  has  given  Indian  speeches,  in  place  of  authentic  public 
documents  and  treaties.  Drake,  in  his  '•  JSook  of  the  Indians"  in  many  respects  a  valuable  anti- 
quarian work,  has  made  great  mistakes.f  This  work  abounds  with  errors,  concerning  the  causes 
and  the  management  of  the  Black  Hawk  affair. 

7th.  Another  treaty  was  lield  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  in  1825,  with  the  Sauks,  Foxes,  Winneba- 
goes,  Chippeways,  Sioux,  and  other  North-western  Indians.  The  object  was  to  settle  the  long 
existing  hostilities  among  these  tribes,  in  which  the  United  States  Government  exercised  the 
office  of  mediator.  In  1827,  a  party  of  twenty-four  Chippeways,  on  a  visit  to  Fort  Snelling,  was 
attacked  by  a  band  of  Sioux,  and  eight  of  their  number  killed  and  wounded.  The  commander  at 
Fort  Snelling  caused  four  of  the  Sioux,  who  had  committed  this  murder,  to  be  delivered  to  the 
Chippeways,  by  whom  they  were  shot.  Red  Bird,  a  Sioux  Chief,  determined  to  retaliate,  and  got 
defeated.  Being  derided  by  his  own  nation,  he  resolved -to  attack  the  white  people,  whom  he  re- 
garded as  allies  of  the  Chippeways  ;  and  on  the  27th  of  July,  two  men  in  the  vicinity  of  Prairie 
du  Chien,  were  killed,  and  a  third  wounded.  At  the  same  period  hostile  demonstrations  werb 
made  by  some  Winnebagoes,  and  Black  Hawk's  party  of  the  Sauks,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  lead 
mines,  which  caused  much  alarm.  About  the  28th  of  July,  two  keel-boats,  conveying  military 
stores  to  Fort  Snelling,  were  attacked  by  hostile  Sioux,  Winnebagoes  and  Saulcs,  two  of  their 
crew  were  killed,  and  four  wounded.  The  party  was  con^manded  by  Red  Bird,  but  Black  Hawk 
was  of  the  party.  General  Atkinson  marched  a  detachment  of  troops  into  the  Winnebago  country, 
captured  Red  Bird  and  six  other  Indians,  and  committed  them  to  prison  in  Prairie  du  Chien,  for 
trial.  Red  Bird  died  in  prison.  A  part  of  the  others  were  convicted  and  executed  in  December, 
1828! 

About  this  year,  the  President  issued  a  proclamation,  according  to  law,  and  the  country  about 
the  mouth  of  Rock  River,  which  had  been  previously  surveyed,  was  sold,  and  the  year  following, 
was  taken  possession  of  by  American  families.  Some  time  previous  to  this,  after  the  death  of  old 
Quashquame,  Keokuk  was  appointed  chief  of  the  Sauk  nation.  The  United  States  gave  due 
notice  to  the  Indians  to  leave  the  country,  east  of  the  Mississippi,  and  Keokuk  made  the  same 
proclamation  to  the  Sauks,  and  a  portion  of  the  nation,  with  their  regular  chiefs,  with  Keokuk  at 
their  head,  peaceably  retired  across  the  Mississippi.  Up  to  this  period,  Black  Hawk  continued 
his  annual  visits  to  Maiden,  and  received  his  annuity  for  allegiance  to  the  British  government. 
He  would  not  recognize  Keokuk  as  chief,  but  gathered  about  him  all  the  restless  spirits  of  his 
tribe,  many  of  whom  were  young,  and  fired  with  the  ambition  of  becoming  "braves,"  and  set  up 
himself  for  a  chief. 

Black  Hawk  was  not  a  Pontiac,  or  a  Tecumthe,  Ho  had  neither  the  talent  or  the  influence  to 
fr)rm  any  comprehensive  scheme  of  action,  yet  ho  made  an  abortive  attempt  to  unite  all  the 
Indians  of  the  West,  from  Rock  River  to  Mexico,  in  a  war  against  the  United  States. 


*  Indian  Treaties. 

■j-  Book  v.  chapter  viii.  pp.  141  to  165. 


382  APPENDIX. 


In  tho  memoir  ho  dictated,  and  LeClairo  wrote,  ho  states,  "  runners  were  sent  to  the  Arkansas, 
lied  lUvor  and  Texas — not  on  the  subject  of  our  lauds,  but  on  a  secret  mission,  which  I  am  not, 
at  present,  iiormitted  to  explain."  Tlxe  mission  was  no  secret  wlien  the  memoir  waf  written.  It 
was  to  arouse  up  tho  Indians  to  attack  the  white  settlements,  through  tho  long  line  of  frontier, 
at  the  same  time. 

Still  another  treaty,  and  tho  seventh  in  succession,  was  made  with  the  Sauks  and  Foxes,  on 
the  lotli  of  July,  1830,  in  which  they  again  confirmed  the  preceding  treaties,  and  promised  to  re- 
move from  Illinois  to  the  territory  West  of  the  Mississippi.  This  was  no  new  cession,  but  a  recog- 
nition of  the  former  treaties  by  tho  proper  authorities  of  the  nation,  aud  a  renewed  pledge  of 
fidelity  to  tho  United  States. 

During  all  tliis  time  Black  Hawk  was  gaining  accessions  to  his  party.  Like  Tecumthe,  he, 
too,  had  his  Prophet — whose  influence  over  the  superstitious  savages  was  not  witliout  effect. 

In  1S30,  an  arrangement  was  made  by  the  Americans,  who  had  purchased  the  livud  above  the 
mouth  of  Rock  Kiver,  and  the  Indians  that  remained,  to  live  as  neigiibors  ;  the  latter  cultivating 
their  old  fields.  Their  enclosures  consisted  of  stakes  stuck  in  the  ground,  and  small  poles  tied 
with  strips  of  bark  transversely.  The  Indians  left  for  their  Summer's  hunt,  and  returned  when 
their  corn  was  in  the  milk — gathered  it,  and  turned  their  horses  into  the  fields,  cultivated  by  the 
Americans,  to  gather  their  crop.  Some  depredations  were  committed  on  their  hogs  aud  other 
property.  The  Indians  departed  on  their  winter's  hunt,  but  returned  early  in  the  spring  of  1S31, 
under  the  g\iidance  of  Black  Hawk,  and  committed  depredations  on  the  frontier  settlements. 
Their  leader  was  a  cunning,  shrewd  Indian,  aud  trained  his  party  to  commit  various  depreda- 
tions on  tho  property  of  the  frontier  inhabitants,  but  not  to  attack,  or  kill  any  person.  His 
policy  was  to  provoke  the  Americans  to  make  war  on  him,  and  thus  seem  to  fight  in  defense  of 
Indian  right.s,  and  tho  "  graves  of  their  fathers."  Numerous  affidavits,  from  persons  of  un- 
questionable integrity,  sworn  to  before  the  proper  officers,  were  made  out  and  sent  to  Governor 
Reynolds,  attesting  to  these  aud  many  other  facts.  We  have  examined  these  documents,  knew, 
personally,  some  who  subscribed  to  them,  and  others  from  good  testimony.  Black  Hawk  had 
about  five  liundrcd  Indians  in  training,  with  horses,  well  provided  with  arms,  and  invaded  the 
State  of  lUinois  with  hostile  designs.  These  fivcts  were  known  to  the  Uovernor  and  other  officers 
of  tho  State.  Consequently,  Governor  Reynolds,  on  the  28th  of  May,  1831,  made  a  call  for  volun- 
teers, and  communicated  the  facts  to  General  Gaines  of  this  military  district,  and  made  a  call  for 
regular  troops.  The  State  was  invaded  by  a  hostile  band  of  savages,  under  an  avowed  enemy  of 
the  United  States.  The  military  turned  out  to  the  number  of  twelve  hundred  or  more,  on  horse- 
back, and  under  command  of  the  late  General  Joseph  Duncan,  marched  to  Rock  River. 

The  regular  troops  went  up  the  Mississippi  in  June.  Black  Hawk  and  his  men,  alarmed  at 
this  formidable  appearance,  recrossed  the  Mississippi,  sent  a  white  flag,  and  made  a  treaty,  in 
which  the  United  States  agreed  to  furnish  them  a  large  amount  of  corn  and  other  necessaries,  if 
they  would  observe  the  treaty. 

In  the  spring  of  1832,  Black  Hawk,  with  his  party,  again  crossed  tho  Mississippi  to  the  valley 
of  Jiock  River,  notwithstanding  he  was  warned  against  doing  sc  by  General  Atkinson,  who  com- 
manded at  Fort  Armstrong,  in  Rock  Island.  Troops,  both  regular  and  militia,  were  at  onco 
mustered,  aud  marched  in  the  pursuit  of  the  native  band.  Among  the  troops  was  a  party  of 
vohmteers  under  Major  Stillman,  who,  on  the  1-tth  of  May,  was  out  upon  a  tour  of  observation, 
and  close  in  tho  neighborhood  of  the  savages.  On  that  evening,  having  discovered  a  party  of 
Indians,  the  whites  galloped  forward  to  attack  the  savage  band,  but  were  met  with  so  much 
energy  and  determination,  that  they  took  to  their  heels  in  utter  consternation.  Tho  whites 
were"  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  in  number ;  the  Indians  from  five  to  six  hundred.  Of  this 
party,  twenty-five  followed  the  retreating  battalion,  after  night,  for  several  miles.  Eleven  whites 
were  killed  and  shockingly  mangled,  and  several  wounded,  home  four  or  five  Indians  were 
known  to  be  killed.  This  action  was  at  Stillman's  Run,  in  the  eastern  part  of  Ogle  county,  about 
twenty-five  miles  above  Dixon. 

Peace  was  now  hopeless,  and  although  Keokuk,  the  legitimate  chief  of  the  nation,  controlled  a 
majority,  the  temptation  of  war  and  plunder  was  too  strong  for  those  who  followed  Black  Hawk. 

We  now  quote  from  the  first  edition  of  the  Annals,  with  some  emendations : — 

On  the  21st  of  May,  a  party  of  warriors,  about  seventy  in  number,  attacked  the  Indian  Creek 
settlement,  in  LaSalle  county,  Illinois,  killed  fifteen  persons,  and  took  two  young  women  prison- 
ers ;  these  were  afterwards  returned  to  their  frionds,  late  in  July,  through  the  efforts  of  the  Win- 
neb'ar'oes.  On  tho  following  day,  a  party  of  spies  was  attacked,  and  four  of  them  slain,  and  other 
massacres  followed.  Meanwhile  three  thousand  Illinois  militia  had  been  ordered  out,  who 
rendezvoused  upon  the  20th  of  Juno,  near  Peru ;  these  marched  forward  to  Rock  River,  where 
they  were  joined  by  the  United  States  troops,  the  whole  being  under  command  of  General  Atkin- 
son. Six  hundred  mounted  men  were  also  ordered  out,  while  General  Scott,  with  nine  compa- 
nies of  artillery,  hastened  from  the  sea-board,  by  tho  way  of  the  lakes  to  Chicago,  moving  with 
such  celerity,  that  some  of  his  troops,  we  are  told,  actually  went  eigliteen  hundred  miles  in 
eighteen  days;  passing  in  that  time  from  Fort  Monroe,  on  the  Chesapeake,  to  Chicago.  Long 
before  the  artillerists  could  reach  the  scene  of  action,  however,  the  western  troops  had  com- 
menced the  conllict  in  earnest,  and  before  they  did  reach  the  field,  had  closed  it.  On  the  24th  of 
June,  Bliick  Hawk  and  his  two  hundred  warriors  were  repulsed  by  Major  Demint,  with  but  one 
hundred  and  fifty  militia  :  this  skirmish  took  place  between  Rock  River  and  Galena.  The  army 
then  continued  to  move  up  Rock  River,  near  the  head  of  which  it  was  understood  that  tho  main 
party  of  the  hostile  Indians  was  collected;  and  as  provisions  were  scarce,  and  hard  to  convey  in 
Buch  a  country,  a  detachment  was  sent  forward  to  Fort  Winnebago,  at  tho  portage  between  the 


APPENDIX.  333 


Wisconsin  and  Fox  rivers,  to  procure  supplies.  This  detachment,  hearing  of  Black  Hawk's  army, 
pursued  and  overtook  them  on  the  21st  of  July,  near  the  Wisconsin  river,  and  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  Blue  Mounds.  General  Henry,  who  commanded  the  party,  formed  with  his  troops 
three  sides  of  a  hollow  square,  and  in  that  order  received  the  attack  of  the  Indians;  two  attempts 
to  break  the  ranks  were  made  by  the  natives  in  vain  ;  and  then  a  general  charge  was  made  by 
the  whole  body  of  Americans,  and  with  such  success  that,  it  is  said,  fifty-two  of  the  red  men 
were  left  dead  upon  the  field,  while  but  ono  American  was  killed,  and  eight  wounded. 

Before  this  action,  Henry  had  sent  word  of  his  motions  to  the  main  army,  by  whom  he  was 
immediately  rejoined,  and  on  the  28th  of  July,  the  whole  crossed  the  Wisconsin  in  pursuit  of 
Black  Hawk,  who  was  retiring  toward  the  Mississippi.  Upon  the  bank  of  that  river,  nearly  op- 
posite the  Upper  loway,  the  Indians  were  overtaken,  and  again  defeated,  on  the  2nd  of  August, 
with  a  loss  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  while  of  the  whites  but  eighteen  fell.  This  battle  en- 
tirely broke  the  power  of  Black  Hawk;  he  fled,  but  was  seized  by  the  Winnebagoes,  and_upon  the 
27th,  was  delivered  to  the  officers  of  the  United  States,  at  Prairie  du  Chien. 

General  Scott,  during  the  montlis  of  July  and  August,  was  contending  with  a  worse  than 
Indian  foe.  The  Asiatic  cholera  had  just  reached  Canada;  passing  up  the  St.  Lawrence  to  De- 
troit, it  overtook  the  western-bound  armament,  and  thenceforth  the  camp  became  a  hospital. 
On  the  Sth  of  July,  his  thinned  ranks  landed  at  Fort  Dearborn,  or  Chicago,  but  it  was  late  in 
August  before  they  reached  the  Mississippi.  The  number  of  that  band  who  died  from  the 
cholera,  must  have  been  at  least  seven  times  as  great  as  that  of  all  who  fell  in  battle.  There 
were  several  other  skirmishes  of  the  troops  with  the  Indians,  and  a  number  of  individuals 
murdered ;  making  in  all,  about  seventy-five.persons  killed  in  these  actions,  or  murdered  on  the 
frontiers. 

In  September,  the  Indian  troubles  were  closed  by  a  treaty,  which  relinquished  to  the  white 
men  thirty  millions  of  acres  of  land,  for  which  stipulated  annuities  were  to  be  paid;  constituting 
now  the  eastern  portion  of  the  State  of  Iowa,  to  which  the  only  real  claim  of  the  Sauks  and  Foxes 
was  their  depredations  on  the  unoffending  loways,  about  one  hundred  and  thirty  years  since. 
To  Keokuk  and  his  party,  a  reservation  of  forty  miles  square  was  given,  in  consideration  of  his 
fidelity ;  while  Black  Hawk  and  his  family  were  sent  as  hostages  to  Fort  Monroe  in  the  Chesa- 
peake, where  they  remained  till  June,  1833.  The  chief  afterwards  returned  to  his  native  wilds, 
where  he  died. 

Black  Hawk  cannot  rank  with  Pontiac  or  Tecnmthe ;  he  fought  only  for  revenge,  and  showed 
no  intellectual  power;  but  he  was  a  fearless  man. 


EEE A  T A . 


Page  252  states  that  there  is  no  reliable  source  of  coal  in  this  coanty.  This 
is  a  mistake — Coal  is  abundant,  as  experience  and  Owens  Report  both  show. 

Page  21,  omit  last  word  of  13th  line. 

Page  46,  read  "  Topin"  for  last  word  of  4th  line  from  bottom. 

Page  104.  In  12th  line  omit  "  over  Piatt  Smith,"  and  read  the  same  words 
after  "forty-eight"  in  18th  line. 

Page  216,  read  "  fallen"  for  "  befallen"  in  16th  line  from  bottom. 


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